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4K>31 



BY 



S. N. KNIGHT, 

MARIETTA, OHIO. 



yUiQs.Xj^^l:^S!M^&;>^^ 



copyright, 1896, by 
Samuel Nimrod Knight. 



Christian ]Jnity. 



"AND NOW I AM NO MORE IN THE WORLD, 
BUT THESE ARE IN THE WORLD, AND I COME TO 
THEE. HOLY FATHER, KEEP THROUGH THIN^ 
OWN NAME THOSE WHOM THOU HAST GIVEN ME, 
THAT THb,Y MAY BE ONE, AS WE ARE." 

JOHN XVII, 11. 



A copy Of this book will be sent postpaid to any 
addressintheUnitedStates, on receipt of 25 CetltS, 
Address, \/ 

S. N. KNIGHT, 

Marietta, Ohio. 



Ox 



AURTHOR'S PREFACE. 



f%\ 



SOD is represented as being a God of order, and 
as having a due time in which to make his 
plans and purposes known to his faithful chil- 
dren. Our Savior, while he was with his disciples, was 
known to use the following language: '' Who then is 
a faithful and wise servant, whom his God hath made 
ruler over his household, to give them meat in due 
season. « 'Blessed is that servant, whom his lord when 
he Cometh shall find so doing." Matthew xxiv, 45, 46. 

Believing that this publication will be food in due 
season for the thinking christian, has been the primary 
cause of our undertaking, to place before you what we . 
consider meat in due season for all lovers of the truth, 
and while the ideas we have presented may not meet 
the approval of all, we kindly ask them to not only read 
our publication, but give it a thorough investigation. 
Please take your bible in hand and test our writing 
with the truths contained therein, and should you find 
that we have erred in some of our conclusions, we 
beg leave to say to you that our mind is open to receive 
any additional truth that the reader may be able to 
impart. S. N. KNIGHT. 



During our Savior's Ministry while here on earth, 
he was known to say, on one occasion, that a house 
divided against itself cannot stand. 

The reader will please take notice here that the 
Church of God is known as God's Building. I Cor- 
inthians, iii, 9; God's House, Hebrews iii,6. Now we are 
told by our Savior, that should this house be divided, 
it cannot stand. And he further tells us that in order 
that a house may stand it must be built upon a rock, 
and not on the sand. Matthew vii, 24, 25, 26, 27. 

If this house, therefore, be divided it cannot stand 
and must necessarily be built on the sand, and should 
such be the case we will be forced to conclude that it is 
not the true Church because Christ's Church is built on 
a rock and cannot fall, because the gates of hell shall 
not prevail against it. Matthew vi, 18. Besides this, 
the scriptures plainly teach that there should be an 
oneness of God's people. 

In the examination of this subject the first question 
that presents itself for our consideration, is, w^hat con- 
stitutes that oneness? When the fact as to that unity 
is fully determined, surely all of God's true disciples 
will be willing to use a portion of their means, time 
and talent, in order to assist in establishing it. When 
we speak of unity we do not mean a union of congrega- 
tions, or sects, but a union of hearts, aims, desires and 
purposes. And while it is our purp<5se to investigate 
and ascertain, if possible, as to what constitutes that 
oneness, and at the same time try and ascertain as to 
what constitutes the walls of partition that are keeping 



4 

professed Christians apart, we trust that we are doing 
it with pure motives, unbiased by prejudice or previous 
education or opinion, and we would wish to be under- 
stood that we have due respect for people who differ 
with us in opinion, and we do not intend to speak dis- 
respectful of any sect organization or congregation. 
It may be necessary, however, to occasionally refer to 
some of them, but this will always be done in a genteel 
and respectful manner. Before entering fully into 
the investigation there are a few facts that we wish to 
place before the reader which we expect to call into 
use later on. The facts referred to are the following: 
The word of God as handed down to us in the Old 
and New Testament Scriptures, is written in literal, 
real or actual language, and also in symbolical or figur- 
ative. All scripture should be taken in a literal or real 
sense, unless such an interpretation would make an 
absurdity, in such cases it should be us ed figura- 
tively. And another thing should be born in mind: 
First, that a figure is always taken from something real. 
Seconedly, God has given us laws that are known as 
positive and moral precepts. Our understanding of 
moral law is, that it pertains to one's character, that is 
it relates to our duty to one another. A positive com- 
mand is one in which our duty to God alone is in- 
cluded. For example, circumcision was a positive 
command, while the commandment that says ''thou 
shalt not steal," is a moral command, because it relates 
specificly to our duty to one another. Furthermore, 
God^s positive commands are never given in figurative 



5 

language; they are always given in plain literal language, 
neither are they given in such a way that w^e have to 
infer that such and such is the case. For example, 
when circumcision was commanded it was not given in 
such a way that Abraham would have to infer as to 
what was meant but it was given in such a way that there 
could be no mistake about what was required to be 
done, hence the matter did not rest on any inference. 
Same in the case of Naaman the Assyrian, who was 
commanded to dip seven times in the river Jordan for 
the cure of leprosy. The command was given in such 
a way that there could be no mistake as to w^hat was 
required. Also in the case of Joshua, who was com- 
manded to surround the walls of Jerico seven times. 
We might go on and extend this list, but we presume 
we have mentioned enough to sufficiently illustrate our 
proposition. 

Now, it is a very common thing to hear said of a 
person, that he is a good moral man, but his morality 
will not save him. A very true saying, but why will 
his morality not save him? Simply because he may be 
keeping the moral law, which relates to his duty to his 
fellow man, but has never obeyed the positive law, 
which relates to his duty to God alone. 

I^ow, there is another fact to which we must call 
your attention, that is to say, there is a great deal of 
scripture given to us that does not relate to either the 
positive or moral law but is simply a statement of facts 
for example, when Paul gives a description of the 
resurrection neither themoral or positive law is included- 



6 
Before we leave the subject of law for the benefit 
of the young reader we must give its definition. A 
law is a rule of action, hence Avhen the moral law was 
given it told us how we should act towards men, and 
the positive law told us how we should act towards God. 
It is then quite evident that all questions that pertain 
to law are practical, or in other words, all religious 
questions that are practical are governed either by 
positive or the moral law, and those that are not prac- 
tical are not governed by any law. Now the Apostle 
Paul tells us that sin is not imputed where there is no 
law, Romans , v, 13, therefore in the absence of 
law we will have to be governed by our judgment alone, 
and now reader take notice right here, that one person 
has as much right to exercise his judgment as another 
in the absence of law but no one has a right to set up 
his judgment in opposition to the positive or the moral 
laws of God. We call particular attention to these two 
facts, because we want to make an application of them 
later on. We will now call attention to some scripture 
quotations showing that it is a duty made obligitory 
upon every professed follower of Christ to not only 
pray for this union, but to use a portion of his means, 
time and talents in that direction in order to assist in 
establishing it. '^I have fed you with milk, and not 
with meat: for hitherto ye were not able to bear it, 
neither yet now are ye able. For ye are yet carnal, for 
whereas there is among you envying, and strife, and 
divisions, are you not carnal and walk as men?" I Cor- 
inthians, iii, 2, 3. 



1 

Now carnal means pertaining to or belonging to 
the flesh. The Apostle Paul tells us if we live after 
the flesh we shall die, but if we through the Spirit do 
mortify the deeds of the body ^e shall live. Romans, 
viii, 13. The foregoing scripture should to say the 
least, have a tendency to arrest the attention of every 
candid thinking christain. "Be not deceived. God 
is not mocked, for whatsoever a man soweth that shall 
he also reap, for he that soweth to his flesh shall of his 
tiesh reap corruption, but he that soweth to the Spirit 
shall of the Spirit reap life everlasting." Golatian, vi, 
7, 8. Now we are told by the foregoing scripture 
that where there is envying and strife, that those who 
are thus engaged are sowing to their flesh, and we are 
further told that flesh and blood cannot inherit the 
Kingdom of God, neither does corruption inherit 
incorruption. Corrinthians, xv, 50. The church is 
represented under the figure of the human body, for 
by one Spirit we are all baptized into one body, 
whether we be bound or free, and have been made to 
drink into one Spirit for the body is not one member 
but many. And the Apostle plainly tells us that there 
should be no schism in the body, but that the members 
should have the same care one for another, and where 
one member suffers all the members should suffer with 
it, or where one member be honored all the members 
rejoice with it. This scripture is found in the 12th 
chapter of I Corinthians. Now we want to ask one 
question to each member of the different organizations, 
we believe there are about six hundred. Do you each 



realize that the five hundred and ninty-nine organiza- 
tions outside of your own, deserve the same care as that 
of your own? Or where one of them suffers do you 
feel it to be your duty to suffer with it,, or would you 
rejoice to hear of other organizations being exalted 
or honored? If such is your feelings you surely are 
sowing to the spirit, and will reap life everlasting at 
the end of the race — if such is not the case, we will not 
be quite so uncharitable as to say that you are sowing 
to your flesh, but will advise you to make an effort to 
crucify your fleshy nature through the Spirit, that you 
may finally reap life everlasting. At all events we are 
safe in sayino: that unless we have the same care for 
each member of the Body of Christ that there is some- 
thing wrong — we will not stop here to tell as to what 
the wrong consists because the reader will remember 
that we said in the beginning that we would first inves- 
tigate as to what constitutes the oneness, and would 
afterwards endeavor to ascertain if possible what it 
is that is keeping professed christains seperate and 
apart from each other. We will proceed to show as 
we think clearly of what that unity consists, and in 
doing this we will to some extent use the law of ex- 
clusion, that is to say, we sometimes search for an 
object that is associated with others having similar 
characters; yet in some particular respect quite 
different. When the number of associate objects are 
augmented it makes it the more difficult to find the one 
required, and on the other hand, should we diminish 
he number of associate objects, it makes it the more 



€;asily to find the one for which we are searching. We 
will now proceed on this principle t3 mention a few 
things in which this oneness does not consist, and 
should we succeed in excluding them all except one, 
and are able to prove by logical reasoning, that the 
remaining one should not be excluded, it will certainly 
be the one required. In the first place we will say 
that when the Apostle said we are all one in Christ he 
did not mean that we are all one person, from the fact 
that would make an absurdity. When he says there is 
neither Jew nor Greek there, is neither bond nor free, 
there is neither male nor female for ye are all one in 
Christ Jesus. Galatians, iii, 24, he surely does not 
mean this in a literal sense because a literal interpre- 
tation would make also an absurdity, and we remarked 
in the beginning that should a literal interpretation make 
an absurdity that it should be used in a figurative sense, 
therefore the oneness in question must necessarily be a 
figurative expression, and the reader will please bear in 
mind that a figure is always taken from, or represents 
some fact. We will not stop here to explain what fact 
this figurative expression represents, but before dis- 
missing the subject entirely we will endeavor to explain 
it. He did not mean that we are all one in power or 
authority, because we are commanded to obey those 
who have the rule and authority over us, and to obey 
the powers that be. He did not mean that we are all 
one in gifts and callings, because we read from I Corin- 
thian 12th chapter beginning at the 4th verse as follows: 
''Now there are diversities of gifts but the same spirit. 



10 
and there are differences of administration, but the 
same Lord, and there are diversities of operations, but 
it is the same God which worketh all in all, for to one 
is given by the same spirit the words of wisdom, to 
another the word of knowledge by the same spirit, to 
another faith by the same spirit, to another the gift 
of healing by the same spirit." The foregoing plainly 
teaches, from a Divine stand point, that there are dif- 
ferent callings. We think we have proven satisfactorily 
that this is not a literale oneness, but figurative. We 
will now quote a few passages of scripture bearing on 
this same oneness, and remembering that the unity is a 
figure it will be necessary for us to offer some comment 
on the scripture as we go along, in order that we may 
get the true meaning, and we will not lose sight of the 
fact that our interpretation is open for critcism. '<For 
by one Spirit we are baptized into one body, whether 
we be Jews or Gentiles, whether we be bond or free, 
and have been all made to drink into one Spirit. For 
the body is not one member but many." I Corinthian, 
xii, 13, 14. Now the body here spoken of surely means 
the body of Christ, which is sometimes called the 
Church of God, Church of the First Born, God's House, 
God's Building and the Temple of God. The one body 
we say refers to the Body of Christ, from the fact there 
is but one other body referred to in the New Testament, 
that is known as the body of death. Romans, vii, 24. 
And it would be absurd for us to say that we are 
baptized by this Spirit into the body of death. 



11 

The expression, '' oy one spirit all baptized into 
one body," can mean nothing more nor less than this, 
all having the same Spirit, we are proper subjects for 
baptism. Or in other words there is a certain Spirit that 
we must necessarily have as a prerequisite to baptism. 
Now there could be no consistancy in saying that those 
who are baptised by one Spirit into one body, would 
each be in posession of a spirit peculiar to himself, 
because in that case there would be envying strife, and 
divisions. This thought is extended further by the 
Apostle Paul in his epistle to the Ephesians, 4th 
chapter, 3, 11, 12, 13 verses, 3d verse reads as follows: 
'' endeavoring to keep the unity of the spirit in the 
bonds of peace." 11, 12, 14 verses read as follows: 
''And he gave some apostles, and some prophets, and 
some evangelists, and some pastors, and teachers, for 
the perfecting of the saints, for the work of the ministry, 
for the edifying of the body of Christ. Till we all 
come in the unity of the faith, and of the knowledge 
of the Son of God unto a perfect man, unto the meas- 
ure of the stature of the fullness of Christ." Now the 
foregoing scripture, summed up in a nut shell, simply 
teaches this viz., that unless all christians are in pos- 
ession of the one spirit they cannot have peace among 
themselves, consequently there will be divisions, and 
the Apostle tells us that where there are divisions there 
is carnality. Furthermore it teaches us that we cannot 
come in the unity of the knowledge of the Son of God, 
unto a perfect man. Right here we are told that we are 
imperfect without the one Spirit, and we cannot come 



12 
unto the measure of the stature of the fullness of Christ. 
Consequnently unless the one Spirit permeates each and 
every member of the body there cannot be unity, peace, 
perfection, nor fullness. Therefore, should not all the 
members have the one Spirit they will be divided and 
cannot stand, because as already remarked, a house 
must be united in order that it may stand. Xow God 
tests his creatures in order that we may know who are 
the members of the one body. The reader will 
remember that He tested Abrahams faith when He told 
him to offer up Isaac, and the Apostle Paul tells us to 
prove all things, I Thessalonians, v, 21, hence God has 
given us a rule by which we are enabled to ascertain as 
to who are the members of the one body. John xv, 
first and second verses read as follows: ^'I am the true 
vine and my father is the husbandman, every branch in 
me that beareth not fruit He taketh away; and every 
branch that beareth fruit. He purgeth it, that it may 
bring forth more." You will see from the foregoing 
that those who do not bear fruit are not branches of 
the true vine. But who are those who are not bearing 
fruit? Turn to Galatians 5th, beginning at the 19th 
verse including the 21st and you will find it reads after 
•this manner. " Now the works of the flesh are mani- 
fest which are these; adultery, fornication, uncleanness, 
lasciviousness, idolatry, witchcraft, hatred, variance, 
emulation, wrath, strife, seditions, heresies, envying, 
murders, drunkenness, revelling and such like: of the 
which I tell you before as I have also told in time past, 
that they which do such things shall not inherit the 



13 
Kingdom of God." The foregoing plainly teaches what 
class of people do not belong to the one body, or if they 
do they will be cut off. It is a fact worthy of notice 
that this class of people are not even bearing inferior 
fruit but none at all. We will now proceed to show what 
kind of fruit those who are in possession of the one Spirit 
are bearing. Turn to Galatians fifth and read twenty- 
second and twenty-third verses and you will find it 
reads as follows: ''But the fruit of the Spirit is love, 
joy, peace, long suffering, gentleness, goodness, faith, 
meekness, temperance, against such there is no law." 
Please take notice here that the product of the Spirit is 
represented in the singular number, because there being 
but one Spirit all the fruit that grows from it must 
necessarily be of one character, hence it will be 
seen that in even the fruit of the Spirit there is 
unity. 

Now we shall comment at some length on the dif- 
ferent items of the product of the Spirit, and in doing 
this we will take them up in the regular order in which 
they are written. The first item mentioned is love, 
there is another word that can be used interchangeably 
with love, the word to which we refer is charity, there- 
fore when we give the definition of charity, we can with 
propriety use the same definition for love. By turning 
to the 13th chapter of I Corinthians, you can see how 
the Apostle defines it, and you will further see that 
he to some extent uses the law of exclusion, by first 
telling what it is not, and afterwards tells what it is. 
He leads off by saying that love vaunteth not itself. 



14 
For the benefit of the young reader we will define some 
of these terms. And we will say to those who are sup- 
posed to know as much or more about these definitions 
than we do, that we do not mean it for them. The 
word vaunt means to speak of boastfully, brag of or 
about; as to vaunt ones deeds, to make a boastful asser- 
tion, or ostentatious display of ones own worth. Now 
when we meet a person who possesses these characteris- 
tics, we can very safely conclude, that he is deficient in 
one item of the product of the Spirit, that is to say, in 
love, or in other words he is not bearing fruit at all, there 
fore he does not possess the one Spirit that we have said 
so much about, consequently he must necessarily have a 
Spirit peculiar to himself, and does not belong to the 
one body, because he is surely a withered branch and 
will be cut off in due time. 

The reader will remember that we are now giving 
the test as to who is permeated with the one Spirit or 
in other words, who belongs to the one body. And 
should our chain of reasoning and definitions be correct 
we will be enable when we get through to tell a true 
disciple when and wherever we may find him, because 
by their fruits ye shall know^ them.. Matthew vii, 20. 

Love is not puffed up, this means to be inflated 
with pride, or vanity, puffed up with a sense of ones 
own importance. We see from the definition that 
pride is one of the characteristic that prevents one from 
being a member of the one body. Before going further it 
might be well to stop and examine as to what is meant 
by pride, it certainly does not mean that we are not to 



15 
keep clean, because we are told that cleanliness is n3xt 
to Godliness, everybody then should keep his body 
washed and wear clean clothing, but this only defines it 
in a negative sense, in the full sense of the word it 
means to exhault ones self, assuming authority that 
does not belong to ns, people who do this would do 
well to stop and consider the following. ''God resists 
the proud, but giveth grace to the humble." ''Humble 
yourselves in the sight of God that you may be ex- 
haulted in due time, ^' hence you will see that persons 
who possess this love are always used in a passive sense. 
At all events the definition plainly teaches us that 
persons who make an effort to exhault themselves are 
deficient in one item of the product of the Spirit, which 
is love, and they must have a Spirit peculiar to them- 
selves, consequently do not belong to the one body, or 
the true Church. 

"Love envieth not." Envy means to have a feel- 
ing of uneasiness, mortification or discontentment, ex- 
cited by the sight of another superiority, or to feel 
uneasy or discontented at the sight of superior repu- 
tation of happiness enjoyed by another. A person who 
possesses the spirit of envy does not possess the Spirit 
that is required of the members of the one body because 
you will remember that we have already refered to the 
church as represented under the figure of the human 
body, and in that description each member is to have 
the same care as the other. Where one member suffers, 
all should suffer with it, and where one member is 
honored, all should rejoice with it, any way we are safe 



16 

in concluding that the person who answers to the above 
description does not belong to the true church. Love 
does not behave unseemly. The word unseemly, means 
to act in an unbecoming manner, or in order to make it 
plain to the young reader we will say that it means 
bad manners. Now there are different ways of acting 
unmannerly, or of using bad manners. We will give a 
list of a few things that we should not do if we expect 
to use decorum. We should never practice non-atten- 
tion when a person is talking to us, we should always 
act with courtesy, because when we do not give the 
speaker our attention it is an indirect way of telling 
him that he has not the ability to entertain us, and we 
will always wound a persons feeling when we impeach 
his abilitv or point out to him his defects. We should 
never interrupt a person while talking by bringing in a 
foreign subject not pertinent to the subject under dis- 
cussion. By turning to the 14th chapter of 1 Corin- 
thians thirty-first and thirty-third verses you will see 
the following: ''For ye may all prophesy one by one, 
that all may learu and all may be comforted. For God 
is not the author of confusion, but of peace in all 
churches of the saints." We might go on and extend 
these definitions but as we are not writing a work — 
particularly on decorum, we persume it is unnecessary to 
further elaborate. We have said enough already that the 
reader will be able to catch our idea and will under- 
stand at once as to the application we are about to 
make. All these definitions of unseemly conduct summ- 
ed up in a nut shell means, that any person who violates 



]7 
or is in the habit of using bad manners lacks the proper 
fruit of the Spirit, consequently must have a Spirit 
peculiar to himself and does not belong to the one body 
or the true church. "Love rejoiceth not in pniquity 
but rejoiceth in the truth. 

There are only two mysteries spoken of in the 
Bible, one is called the mystery of Godliness, the other 
the mystery of iniquity. But we shall not go into 
detail concerning these two mysteries. We will deal 
with the one bearing particularly on the subjuct in 
hand. Iniquity means injustice, unrighteousness, a 
deviation from rectitude, a sin or crime. Now the 
Apostle John says, that sin is the violation of law, 
therefore people who are not living in accordance 
with God's law are living in iniquity and surely they are 
living in it as a matter of choice, therefore they must 
rejoice in it, and cannot belong to the one body or the 
true church because they are deficient in one impor- 
tant character, that is love. Now those who belong to 
this one body and who have the one Spirit are not 
only, not living in iniquity, but they are rejoicing in 
the truth. The truth spoken of here surely means 
God's word as contained in the Bible. It is not nec- 
essary that we simply obey God's law, but we should 
afterwards rejoice in it. Paul said he delighted in the 
law of God after the inward man. Roman vii, 22. 
Love beareth all things, believeth all things, hopeth all 
things, endureth all things. Now we believe the above 
scripture is not to be taken in a general sense, but is 
intended to be used specifically, when it says that love 



18 
beareth all things, and believetb and bopetb all things 
that it is confined to God's word and promise as con- 
tained in the Bible. We have dwelt to some extent on 
the word love, the first product of the Spirit, and we 
might write ]3age after page on the characteristics of 
this word, but we fear we miglit weary the mind of the 
reader by dwelling too long on one subject. However, 
he must bear in mind that we are writing a book on 
Christian Unity, and that it is right and proper that 
we describe the people whom we propose to unite, 
should we use God's word as a rule to guide us in our 
description. Our conclusions will be correct, and all that 
do not fill the measures that we use, surely will belong- 
to the world and ought not to be united to the one 
body unless they repent and become converted. The 
second item of the fruit of the spirit is joy. The first 
question that presents itself for our consideration of 
this word is, when do we rejoice? Secondly, to what 
extent? If the reader will turn to the 5th chapter of 
Romans and read the 3rd verse he will find it reads as 
follows: ''And not only so, but we glory in tribula- 
tions also." Here we are told that the true christian 
people glory in tribulations. We are not to understand 
by this that we rejoice because tribulations come upon 
us, but he means to tell us that we will rejoice should 
we have the proper love notwithstanding tribula- 
tions surround us. Now to what extent do we rejoice? 
If you will turn to chapter 1 of 1st Peter, 8th verse, 
you will see that the Apostle tells us that we rejoice 
with joy unspeakable, and full of glory. 



19 
As the Apostle tells us that we rejoice with joy un- 
speakable, it would be useless for us to undertake to 
describe it. But we beg leave to say that this joy 
spoken of is not our own, that is, it does not originate 
with us, but is given tons by some one else. If you 
will turn to the 15th chapter of John and 11th verse 
you will find it reads as follows: '^These things have 
I spoken unto you, that my joy might remain in you, 
that your joy might be full." It is quite evident, 
therefore, that the joy is not our own, but Christ's. 

Now we shall examine but one more kind of fruit 
growing from the spirit, and when we shall have fin- 
ished we think it wdll be plain to your mind as to the 
class of people that ought to be united. The subject 
referred to is peace. We will quote another passage of 
scripture on the subject of peace: ''Blessed are the 
peace-makers, for they shall be called the children of 
God." They are the children of God, then, that we 
are trying to unite into one body. God's children have 
laid aside their carnal weapons and have taken with 
them as a helmet the hope of salvation. And they take 
with them but one sword, which is the sword of the 
spirit or the word of God. Read Romans xv, 33, 
and you will see that God is represented as a God of 
peace and as the Apostle Peter tells us that God's chil- 
dren are made partakers of the Divine nature the 
children must necessarly be children of peace. We 
will not go into detail concerning what it takes to con- 
stitute a man of peace, because we think there has 
been enough said already to place before the mind of 



20 
the reader as to the kind of people that should be 
united, and also as to what class should be excluded as 
belonging to the world. 

Now please take notice that we have repeated the 
word spirit quite frequently, and it is plain to be seen 
that we have not spoken of a Spirit nor one of the 
Spirits, but have invariably used the definite articles, 
the, or this, signifying that there is but one Spirit. 
The question may be asked, '' What do you mean by 
the one Spirit?" Or, "What Spirit is itf If you will 
turn to Romans viii, 9, you can read this language: 
''But ye are not in the flesh, but in the Spirit, if so be 
that the Spirit of God dwell in you. Now if any man 
have not the Spirit of Christ, he is none of his." By 
turning to Epesians iv, 4, you will see that the Apostle 
says there is but one Spirit. Hence it is quite evident 
that the one Spirit spoken of is the Spirit of God, or 
Holy Spirit. 

We said we would tell before dismissing the sub 
ject, what this figurative oneness is a figure of, or 
from what fact it is taken. Our Savior was known to 
say on one occasion: " My father and I are one.'^ If 
you will turn to John vii, 21, you will see that it reads 
as follows: ''That they may all be one, as thou Father 
art in me, and I in thee, that they also may be one in us: 
That the world may believe that thou hast sent me." 
Therefore the oneness is taken from the fact that the 
Father and Son are one. You will please take notice 
that our Savior considered it of paramount importance 
that God's children should be one in order that the 



21 

world might believe that his Father had sent Him. 

No doubt but the candid reader is ready to 
acknowledge that there should be a union of God's 
people, and we are of the opinion that, should the 
question be asked of every church member among the 
protestant denominations, as to whether he thought 
there should be unity among God's people, he would 
answer in the affirmative. 



CHAPTER 11. 

WHAT ARE THE WALLS OF PARTITION? 



HE next question that presents itself for 
our consideration is, "what are the walls of 
partition that are keeping Christians sepe- 
rate and apart from each other?" If we 
can find a correct answ^er to this question, all we will 
have to do will be to pull down the walls and they will 
all come together. Every one who is in favor of unity 
will surely be willing to assist in helping pull down the 
walls. Should he not, we will have to doubt his ver- 
acity, otherwise conclude he is using bad logic. 

Before proceeding to hunt for these dividing lines, 
there are a few facts which w'e wish to place before 
your mind. In the first place we will say that we wish 
now to call into use the two laws that we called at- 
tention to in the beginning of our remarks, that is to 
say the positive and moral laws. In addition to these 
two laws, there is what is known as the law of Moses, 
or ceremonial law, and there are laws that are called 
natural laws, then we have laws enacted by our Legisla- 



23 

tures, that are called Statuary laws, ail of which relate 
to rules of action. John says that sin is the trans- 
gression of law, and Paul says that sin is not imputed 
where there is no law. You will readily see that it 
would be an impossibility to commit sin in the absence 
of law. These are facts that we want to thoroughly 
impress on your mind, because we will use them later on. 
Now there is another fact that we want to place 
before you, that is this. There are words and terms 
that are generic, and those that are specific. In order 
that the young reader may understand what is meant by 
these terms we will illustrate them. A generic term is 
one that contains others under it. Those that are con- 
tained under it are called species. The word animal is 
generic, while the word horse is specific. The word 
tree is generic, while the word apple-tree is a specie 
contained under the generic term, tree. Now, another 
thought in this connection: Generic words may have 
different meaning. Eor example: Traveling is a generic 
word because it may have several meanings, such as 
walking, riding, or running. Specific words have but 
one real or literal meaning. The word dead is specific, 
the meaning of it being extinction; in the expression 
dead in trespasses and sin is secondary or figurative. 
God's positive commands are always given in specific 
language thus: When God commanded Abraham to 
circumcise the flesh of his fore-skin the command was 
specific, because if bad he spoken in a generic sense, 
using a word that had a variety of meanings he would 
not have known when Tie was cireumcised, and in fact 



24 
in that case we would not know whether any one has 
ever been circumcised or not. Should any of God's 
positive laws be given in generic language that is in 
words having different meanings, we could not tell 
when we have obeyed them, not knowing exactly what 
meaning was meant. But the moral law is sometimes 
given in generic language, such as the following: ''Do 
good to them that despitefully use you." Now you will 
see that there are various ways of doing good. We think 
that our illustration of these tw^o terms has been such 
as will enable the young reader to grasp the idea that 
we wanted to convey, and of course many of the older 
readers would have understood it without any expla- 
nation from us. 

There is another word we must place before your 
mind. We have reference to the word fellowship, and 
for the benefit of the young reader we mast define it. 
Fellowship in the full sense of the term means partner- 
ship, thus we may have business, social or christian 
fellowship. The meaning is that all the partners in- 
vesting equal amounts in either are entitled to reap 
equal shares of the gains, losses, joys, sorrows or pains. 
Should anyone who is a share holder in either, fail to 
receive his share of the gains it would be quite evident 
that the other share-holders had defrauded him, and he 
would be justifiable in making complaint and demand- 
ing an explanation. 

Now you w^ill please remember that all practcial 
questions are governed by a rule of action or law 
Questions that are not practical are not governed by 



25 

law, because the moment we bring them under the 
jurisdiction of law they become practical. We will 
give an example of a question that is not practical. 
•'Behold I shew you a mystery: We shall not all sleep, 
but we shall all be changed." This language is found 
in I Corinthians xv, 51, and it is quite evident that the 
language in not pratical from the fact there is no rule 
by which we can be governed in order to practice it. 
The only thing we can possible do to avail ourselves of 
the glorious results of the resurrection is to become 
obedient to the positive and moral laws of God, and 
the glorious results will follow as a reward for that 
obedience. Now we must have some rule or law by 
which to be governed in order to know who is entitled 
to share with us in fellowship. Paul tells us to with- 
draw ourselves from every brother that walketh dis- 
orderly. Here you see that walking disorderly comes 
under the head of a practical question though there 
may be different ways of walking disorderly the expres- 
sion being generic. So walking disorderly would be 
produced by violating some law. We have no right 
therefore to withdraw fellowship from anyone unless 
he has violated some practical princi]3le. With these 
thoughts before you we shall now proceed to hunt for 
the dividing line that is keeping Christians seperate and 
apart from each other. As we have already stated 
there are about six hundred organized bodies, each 
calling itself a church, and each having a name and 
creed peculiar to itself. We will name a few of these 
organized bodies and will give the membership of each 



26 
in the United States up to date. Methodist, 4,699,529; 
Baptist, 3,971,683; Presbyterian, 1,136,685; Congrega- 
tionalist. 257,584; Episcopalian, 446,785; Unitarians, 
20,000; Adventists, 100,441. It would be quite tedious 
to name all the different organizations known as 
churches and give the membership of each, and in fact 
it will not be necessary because after a few comparisons 
have been made it will answer the same purpose as 
though a hundred had been named. Now we are ready 
to admit that there is a great similarity between these 
different organizations. One similar feature is that 
they all believe in the one God and Savior and to a 
great extent they agree on moral principles, Perhaps 
some one is ready to say that they are similar through- 
out on essentials, that the differences are made up of 
the non-essentials. All right let us see whether or not 
they are a unit on essentials. Fellowship is essential, 
is it not? Most assuredly it is, because it is comman- 
ded; therefore is a rule of action. Now if each con- 
gregation has exactly the same interest for each con- 
gregation, outside of its own, that it has for its own, 
then they are all working in the light. If not they are 
walking in darkness. Please turn to I John i, 5, 6, 7, 
and you will see that it reads after this manner. '' This 
then is the message which we have heard of him, and 
declare unto you, that God is light, and in him is no 
darkness at all. If we say that we have fellowship with 
him, and walk in darkness, we lie, and do not the 
truth: But if we walk in the light, as he is in the 
light, we have fellowship one with another, and the 



27 
blood of Jesus Christ his Son cleanseth us from all sin." 
You will see that the foregoing plainly teaches that un- 
less we have fellowship one with another that we are 
not walking in the light. And should we be walking 
in darkness, there are dividing lines somewhere that 
cause it. The different organized bodies might be 
compared to the same number of parallelograms, each 
claiming to be a square. Now we are ready to admit 
that parallelograms and squares are in many respects 
similar, let us define each. 

A parallelogram is a quadrilateral whose opposite 
sides are equal and parallel. A square is a quadrilat- 
eral whose opposite sides are equal and parallel. All 
squares are parallelograms, but all parallelograms are 
not squares. You will see while these two figures are 
similar in many respects they are seperate and distinct 
bodies. Just so with these organized bodies, in a 
figurative sense they might be said to represent so many 
parallelograms. But none of them represents a square. 
We mean by this that none of them are perfect. They 
will have to drop that imperfection before they can fill 
the measure that God intends that the true disciple 
should. We will quote Epesians iv, 13. ^'Till we all 
come in the unity of the faith, and of the knowledge of 
the Son of God, unto a perfect man, unto the measurss 
of the stature of the fulness of Christ." Now we want 
to make another comparison, then we will proceed to 
introduce some new thoughts. In order to illustrate 
our position more fully we want to compare these dif- 
ferent organizations to the same number of sheaves of 



28 
wheat. When the farmer harvests his wheat he ties it 
in bundles called sheaves. A certain number of these 
are thrown together and they compose what is known 
as a shock, that is a plurality of objects are combined 
and the combination is called a unit. Now in order to 
make these sheaves, each is tied with a cord. It matters 
not how many may be put together each retains its 
individuality. For the sake of simplicity let us suppose 
that some are tied with hemp twine, some with cotton, 
others with wool, others with paper, and so on. These 
different organized bodies can with propriety be com- 
pared to these sheaves. Say that the one tied with 
hemp twine represent one of these bodies tied with his 
peculiar creed, the one with cotton another with his 
particular creed, the one with wool another with his 
peculiar creed, while the one with paper anoth- 
er with his creed. It frequently happens that these 
congregations hold Union meetings. That is they will 
sometimes hold their meeting in one church building 
one night, the next night in some other and so on until 
they have held meetings in nearly all the church build- 
ings that are in the city or village. But bear in mind that 
each is tied with his peculiar creed and they 
all q:o with the understandino^ that their individual be- 
liefs are not to be attacked or that they will avoid dis- 
cussing doctrinal points, but will talk on subjects on 
which they all can agree. Now how does this kind of 
proceedings compare with the command of the Apostle 
as given to us in the 3d chapter of Colossians 15, 16, 
verses. It reads as follows: '*And let the peace of 



29 
God rule in your hearts, to which also ye are called in 
one body, and be you thankful. Let the word of Christ 
dwell in you richly in all wisdom; teaching and ad- 
monishing one another in psalms and hymns and spirit- 
ual songs, singing with grace in your hearts to the 
Lord." Now permit us to ask how in the name of 
reason can they follow the above command, when they 
meet with the full intention of not discussing anything 
except that upon which they can all agree. The com- 
mandment says they shall teach one another. How can 
they teach unless they choose a subject and discuss it? 
Now they are commanded to admonish one another 
also. 

For the benefit of the young we will define the 
word admonish. It means to warn one of his faults 
or warn him of danger. Now suppose they should 
follow this command at these meetings and some one 
should say to another that his creed was defective and 
at the same time warn him of the danger that might 
grow out of it. What would be the result? The re- 
sult would be that the person addressed would become 
offended. It matters not in how kind and loving a 
manner the speaker might approach him. Now we do 
not think we have over-drawn this picture, we believe 
the statements that we have made are correct, and ac- 
cording to the commandment they should each bear in 
mind that they are meeting together for the purpose of 
teaching and being taught. Each becomes a teacher 
and a pupil also, and should they choose a subject as a 
basis for their teaching such as is not practical or does 



30 

not come under the jurisdiction of law or rule of 
action. Each should have the right and privilege to 
express his opinion freely as to his understanding of 
the subject, but should the question be a practical 
one or one that is governed by law then it ceases to be 
a question of opinion, and becomes a question of fact. 
For example, should they choose some one of the 
prophecies of the Old Bible they would have a question 
before them that does not come under the jurisdiction 
of law. Therefore not practical. As an evidence that 
this construction is correct we will quote one of our 
Savior's saying. The question was asked him on one 
occasion, "which is the greatest commandment?" His 
answer was, ''^Love the Lord, thy God, with all thy 
heart." The second was, "Thou shalt love thy 
neighbor as thy self, on these two hang all the law and 
the prophets." This shows that he held the law and 
the prophecies seperate and distinct. They must, there- 
fore, be intended to serve different purposes. 

We will give an example of a question that is 
governed by law and is practical. Read St. John, iii, 
3, and you will find it reads as follows: "Jesus an- 
swered and said unto him. Verily, verily, I say unto 
thee. Except a man be born again he cannot see the 
kingdom of God." This scripture is not a question of 
opinion, but is simply a question of fact, and any one 
who sets up his opinion in opposition to this fact, say- 
ing that it is not necessary to be born again, is an 
unbeliever, and cannot please God. Hebrews xi, 6. 
Consequently he does not belong to the true vine, or 



3] 
church, and the balance should not allow his voice to 
be heard in their teaching. 

We want to refer once more to the sheaves com- 
posing the shock. Our idea of unity is that the cords 
of each sheaf should be cut asunder and one strong cord 
should be procured and tied around the entire 
shock, uniting the different sheaves into one body, then 
they would be one in fact, and not simply in name. 

We will now make the application. In order to 
unite the different organizations, we will have to first 
destroy the formulated creeds belonging to each, and 
then place a strong cord around the entire six hundred 
and draw them all tight together. Then we will have 
a union of hearts and not simply a union of congrega- 
tions. But, perhaps, some one will ask as to what 
kind of a cord we propose to tie them with. We will 
get a cord sufficiently strong to hold them. Do you 
ask what that shall be? It will be the sword of the 
Spirit, which is the word of God. 

Now, We have said so much about creeds some 
might be lead to think that we are opposed to them. 
But such is not the case. We are in favor of them, 
provided they are the right kind. But we are opposed 
to formulated creeds that bind the entire congregation 
as a body. We are aware that a person must have a 
creed or he cannot be a christian, because the meaning 
of the word is, I believe, '*for he that cometh to God 
must believe that he is, and that he is a rewarder of 
them that dilligently seek him." Hebrews xi, 6. 

Our idea of creeds is that there should be as many 



32 

creeds as there are individual members in the entire 
Church of God, because every one must have a belief, 
or creed, which is the same thing, before he can please 
God. The creeds should all be identical on the posi- 
tive and moral laws of God, but not necessarily on 
questions that do not come under the jurisdiction of 
law. The foundation of every ones creed should be 
built on the laws of God, on both the positive and 
moral. But his creed must necessarily be governed by 
his best judgment on questions that are not practical, 
or that do not come under law. 

i^ow we will make an illustration: Suppose a 
person attends a religious meenting, where it is the in- 
tention to teach and admonish one another. He goes 
there believing that the scriptures teach thus and so, 
and during the course of the meeting he receives some 
additional light on the Bible, and sees wherein he was 
mistaken. Now, in the name of reason, ought not he 
to change his creed? If so, how can he change it if he 
is governed and controlled by a formulated creed, made 
obligatory and binding on every member of the con- 
gregation to which he belongs. Perhaps some one is 
ready to say that he can have the privilege of changing 
his belief, provided he will hold it as a private matter 
and not attempt to teach it to the balance of the con- 
gregation. The 6th chapter and 18th verse, First 
Timothy, reads as follows: ''That they do good, that 
they be rich in good w^orks, ready to distribute, willing 
to communicate." Now let us ask how can a person 
communicate knowledge to another when he is forbid- 



33 
den to teach? Besides, we are commanded to let our 
light shine before men, that they, seeing our good 
works, may glorify our Father who art in heaven. 

Now we will prove that, unless we have the privi- 
lege of communicating what knowledge we have to 
others, our lights will cease to shine, or in other words 
they will become extinct. Light and darkness, when 
used in the scriptures, are used as symbols, light being 
a figure of knowledge, darkness a figure of ignorance. 
Now man has a three fold nature, physical, intellectual 
and spiritual. We take animal and vegetable food 
into the stomach in order to sustain animal life. The 
intellect is strengthened and kept alive by various forms 
of education. Man's spiritual or moral nature is sus 
tained and kept alive by spiritual or moral food. Our 
spiritual nature will grow just in proportion to the 
quality of food we use. If we receive into our spirit- 
ual nature, food obtained from the God of this world, 
(which is another name for Satan) — read II Corinthi- 
ans, iv, 4, — we will continue to grow in darkness, or 
ignorance. On the other hand, should we use food 
obtained from God's word, and Jesus Christ as our 
teacher, we will continue to grow in light and knowl- 
edge. Light and knowledge being identical, as they 
are used here, we can, with propriety, use them inter, 
changeable. The passage would then read: '' Thus 
let your knowledge shine before men, that they seeing 
your good works may glorify your Father, who art in 
Heaven." It would be an impossibility to utilize 
our knowledge unless we have the privilege of commu. 



34 
nicating it to others. So then, when we put a lock and 
key on a person's mouth by having them to subscribe 
to a formulated creed, we are simply extinguishing the 
light or knowledge that is in them. It matters not 
whether that creed be written or implied, it will accom- 
plish the same end. 

We shall now endeavor to pull down the walls of 
partition between two organized bodies, each calling 
itself a church. We refer to the one known as the 
Methodist church, the other the Presbyterian. Now, 
while these two organizations are similar in many re- 
spects, there are at the same time walls of parti- 
tion between them, making them two distinct bodies, 
one being governed by Conferences and Bishops, the 
other by Synods, Presbyteries and General Assemblies, 
which shows very conclusively that their interests are 
not identical. That being the case they cannot have 
Christian fellowship in the full sense of the word. 
There is a reason for this, and we wish to say right 
here, should these dividing lines be under jurisdiction 
of God's law, they ought not to be molested, that is to 
say, if the dividing lines should be anything that could 
be practiced there might be some excuse for one or the 
other contending for whatever might be legal and 
scriptural. But should they not be practical, then they 
are both to blame. 

Let us see whether or not these lines are practical. 
Please bear in mind that sin is the transgression of law, 
and that a person must transgress some law by walking 
disorderly before you have any right to withdraw fel- 



35 
lowship from him. By keeping this fact before you it 
will enable you to more readily understand our analysis. 

The Presbyterian people teach, as set forth in their 
creed, that God foreordains whatever comes to pass — 
that the number elect can neither be increased nor 
diminished. The Methodist people, as we understand, 
believe and Ijeach that this election is conditional, or in 
other words, that God does not predestinate a certain 
portion of the human family to be saved, and a portion 
to be lost. Now let us see if this dividing line is prac- 
tical, and if we find that it is, there will necessarily 
have to be a law by which it is governed, or some rule 
of action to go by. We will kindly ask our Methodist 
brother to tell us if he knows of any Presbyterians 
that are practising predestination or foreordination. 
If so, what law are they violating, remembering that 
sin is the transgression of law, and at the same time 
remembering that a person must transgress law before 
he can walk disorderly, and must walk disorderly 
before you can withdraw fellowship? 

We now kindly ask our brother to give us an 
answer. Is it not quite evident that a person can be- 
lieve and teach predestination and not violate law? 
Is it not absurd to claim that a person can practice it? 
We surely think that when the proper attention and 
thought is given to these questions that they will all 
be willing to pull down the walls of partition and bury 
them in the grave of forgetf ulness. It is evident that 
should we ask our Presbyterian brethren as to what law 
the Methodists are violating when they disagree with 



them on predestination, they would not be able to 
tell us. Then why do you each condemn the other 
without law, when God says you must transgress 
law before he will condemn you? But perhaps they 
are ready to say that we do not condemn one another, 
but are willing that each shall have the privilege of 
believing and teaching as he pleases on this question. 
Very well, then, if this be true they should fellowship 
one another throughout, that is to say, they should be 
willing to exchange pulpits and permit each to preach 
his doctrine the same as if he was in his own. And 
when the Methodists hold their conferences they should 
make the same provision for their Presbyterian breth- 
ern that they do for their own, and the Presbyterians 
should do the same for the Methodist when Synod 
meets. 

Now, we might go on and give further illustra- 
tions in regard to the dividing lines that exists between 
these two organized bodies, but we do not think it 
necessary from the fact the one just given wdll be 
sufficient to give the reader to understand how we 
regard these middle walls. There are other organized 
bodies that we will have to call up, and therefore pass 
the two present ones by for the present and turn our 
attention to an organized body known as the Baptist 
Church, and compare it with one known as the 
Christian Church. Should we put the following ques- 
tions to each of them, they would answer in the affirma- 
tive. Do you believe that in order to be saved it is 
necessary to believe in the Gospel? Do you believe 






d1 
that confession is necessary? Do you believe that re- 
pentance is necessary? Do you believe that baptism is 
necessary? Now there is no doubt but each would say 
yes to the foregoing questions, and you will please take 
notice that the questions are practical; they are gov- 
erned by a rule of action or law. Now, both parties 
agreeing to the same thing, why do they not fellows- 
ship each other? 

Let us see if we can possibly find the entering 
wedge. The Baptist say ''We cannot take the Chris- 
tian into full fellowship with us, because we believe our 
sins were pardoned before baptism." This brings us 
to the design of baptism, and in case the design of 
baptism is something that can be practiced, then it is a 
practical question governed by some law, and we will 
kindly ask our Baptist brethern to tell us if they know 
of any of the Christians who are practicing the design 
of baptism? If so, by what law are they governed? 
And if they are walking disorderly, what law are they 
violating? It is quite evident that we cannot practice 
the design of baptism. We can only practice the 
action, and they both practice the same action; there- 
fore, as like causes produce like effects, the result must 
necessarily be the same, because our Savior said, ''He 
that believeth and is baptized shall be saved." 

Now, according to the statement of our Savior, 
both the Christians and the Baptists are in a saved 
condition after baptism, provided they are both | be- 
lievers, and should fellowship each other. But, says the 
Baptist, we believe in close communion. Now this 



38 
question is a practical one, and is therefore governed 
by law. 

The first question that presents itself is, as to what 
law governs it. The positive law, undoubtedly, be- 
cause it relates to our duty to God alone, and not to our 
duty to one another. Therefore, we have no more 
right to dictate for our neighbor in regard to the mat- 
ter than we have concerning who shall pray, both being 
positive commands, and as it relates specifically to our 
duty to God alone, every one is commanded to examine 
himself. 

We think we explained in the begining of our 
writing that God's positive commands are always given 
in such a manner that we will not have to infer that such 
and such is the case. Furthermore they are never 
given in generic terms, but always in specific. 

Now we will have to ask our Baptist brethren to 
show us a law that is given in plain literal and specific 
language authorizing them to exclude any from the 
Lord's table. This we are persuaded they will not be 
able to do, and will therefor be compelled to disapprove 
their practice. There is another organized body known 
as the United Presbyterians which we will have to 
place along side of the Baptist, because, for like rea- 
sons, they are not able to justify themselves in exclud- 
ing others from the Lord's table. 

We will now call your attention to an organized 
body known as the Unitarian Church, and we want to 
call attention to one feature of these people on which 
the entire protestant world, with few exceptions, disa- 



39 
gree with them. The doctrine we have reference to is 
this: The Unitarians, as we understand, believe that 
Jesus Christ is the Son of God, and is the Savior of the 
world, believe he was a man while on earth, and was 
crucified as a man. The entire protestant world, with 
very few exceptions, differ with them on this point, 
claiming that he was possessed of two natures, both hu- 
man and Divine. 

Now let us see whether or not either side is justi- 
fiable in making it an excuse for a division. If we 
withdraw fellowship from the Unitarians, on the 
strength of their belief on the personality of Jesus 
Christ, w^e will have to prove that they are walking 
disorderly by expressing their belief, and we will have 
to show what law they are violatina:, before we can 
proA^e that they are walking disorderly. Now people 
who differ with them will please tell us what law they 
are violating. We are persuaded they will not be able 
to point out to us any such a law; at least we have 
failed to see any command in the positive or moral 
laws of God, making it obligiatory on us to believe 
anything in regard to the personality of Jesus Christ. 
When our Savior catechised Peter, saying, ''Whom do 
men say I, the son of man, am," he did not say, 
what do men say of my personality, or how many na- 
tures do they say I have. Peter answered: '' Thou 
art the Christ, the son of the living God." The answer 
Peter gave was satisfactory. Read Matthew xvi, 13, 14, 
15, 16, 17, 18. When the eunuch said ''I believe Jesus 
Christ is the son of God," (Acts viii, 87,) Philip did 



40 
not ask him if he believed that Jesus Christ was both 
God and man, two natures blended in one. 

In Paul's letter to the Corinthians he addresses 
them as follows: "And I, bretbern, when I come to 
you, come not with excellency of s})eech or of wisdom, 
declaring unto you the testimony of God, for I deter- 
mined not to know anything among you, save Jesus 
Christ and him cruciiied." It seems that Paul did not 
propose to enter into any analysis concerning how 
many natures Christ had, but he would simply talk 
about Christ, and him crucified." When the jailor 
enquired saying, "What shall I do to be saved, -^^ he 
was told to believe on the Lord Jesus Christ and he 
would be saved. It was not required of him to believe 
anything concerning the personality of Jesus Christ. 

It is surely plain to the reader that there is nothing 
made obligitory on any person concerning his belief in 
regard to the personality of Christ. And it is quite 
evident that nothing of the kind was required as a pre- 
requisite to entering the Church, and as a matter of 
course it should not be made a test of fellowship, after 
coming into the Church. Therefore, where organized 
bodies are allowing such questions to be made tests of 
fellowship, both sides are culpable. 

We VvhU now call your attention to an organized 
body of people with whom nearly the whole protestant 
world disagree. The people to whom we refer are 
Seventh Day Adventist. There are two features in 
particular, of their doctrine, that conflict with the views 
held by a majority of the protestant people. One of 



41 
these features is, that they believe that when a person 
dies he sleeps until the resurrection, or in other words, 
that he remains in an unconscious state. The other 
feature is that they believe that the vvicked will be 
punished with death, thai is they will be totally annihi- 
lated. Now these people are kept separate and apart 
from the balance of the protestant people, principally on 
account of their believing and teaching the above named 
doctrine. But w^e think that we wall prove that the 
ground for separation is invalid, and should we succeed 
in doing this, it will show very plainly that both sides 
are culpable. If fellow^ship be withdrawn by either 
party, they must prove that the other is walking dis- 
orderly, and in order to do this they will have to prove 
that they are transgressing some law. If they are vio- 
lating law, the question becomes practical, and it will 
have to be shown that some one is practicing some- 
thing. 

Now let us suppose that the majority of the 
protestant people propose to withdraw fellowship from 
the Seventh Day Adventist, on the ground that they 
teach and believe in soul sleeping. Vf e will kindly ask 
all people who bring this charge against them to tell us 
how many Adventists they know who are practicing 
soul sleeping, or how many they know of w^ho are 
practiciEg annihilation? Please tell us how a person 
can practice soul sleeping or annihilation until he dies. 
We will kindly ask the Seventh Day Adventist to tell 
us what law the people who differ with them on these 
questions are violating? Surely it is plain to the reader 



42 

that these questions are unanswerable, therefore we 
conclude that both sides are culpable. 

We wish now to call your attention to the cases of 
Dr. Briggs, of Union Seminary, and Dr. Smith, of 
Lane Seminary. They were both members, at one time, 
of the Presbyterian Church, but were expelled, a few 
years ago, for preaching doctrine that was contrary to 
Presbyterian belief. We are not prepared to say 
what these questions were, but one of them was that 
they believed in second probation. Now we will 
kindly ask the Presbyterian people who were instru 
mental in expelling them, to tell us if they ever knew 
of any person practicing a second probation? If it 
even be true, how could they practice it until they die? 
It surely must be plain to your mind that these questions 
are unanswerable, therefore the question is not prac- 
tical, and the people who expelled Dr. Briggs and Dr. 
Smith on such grounds, are culpable. 

We now wish to offer a short comment on the 14th 
chapter of Romans, beginning with the first verse. It 
reads as follows: ''Him that is weak in the faith re- 
ceive ye, but not to doubtful disputations." Now the 
Apostle has reference to believers who are weak, not 
but what they have faith in Christ, but because they 
want to practice things that are not commanded or 
that do not come under the jurisdiction of law, and 
are therefore not practical. But the Apostle tells us to 
receive them and not even dispute over the matter 
verse second reads as follows: ''For one believeth that 
he may eat all things, another who is weak eateth 



43 
herbs." The expression, "another who is weak eateth 
herbs," can we think, with propriety be used in a figura- 
tive sense symbolizing various kinds of practices. 
Should we be corrected in our construction we might 
then say one who is weak believes in Soul Sleeping, 
another who is weak believes in a second probation and 
another believes in total annihilation of the wicked. 
But according to the Apostle's language it is our duty 
to receive them. As an evidence that this construction 
is correct we refer you to Acts xvi, 3, which reads as 
follows: ''Him would Paul have to go forth with him; 
and took and circumcised him because of the Jews 
which we;i'e in those quarters: for they knew all that 
his father was a Greek." This has reference to the 
circumcision of Timothy. And it is quite evident that 
Paul did not do it because there was any virtue in it, 
because if you will read Galations v, 6, you will see the 
following: "For in Jesus Christ neither circumcision 
availeth any thing, nor uncircumcision; but faith which 
worketh by love." Here we are told that should we be 
in Christ, that we can practice circumcision as much as 
we please, but need not practice it with the expectation 
of it doing us any good. At the same time it will do 
us no harm. We see therefore that Paul circumcised 
Timothy in order to keep peace. Cannot we do the 
same thing where there is no law to the contrary? 
Verse 5th reads as follows: ''One man esteemeth one 
day above another; another esteemeth every day alike. 
Let every man be fully persuaded in his own mind." 
Here we see that no one has a rio^ht to dictate to his 



44 

brother, telling liim that there is one day in seven that 
he shall regard as being above the other six. It is 
quite evident that the question of keeping one day in 
seven as a religious day is not a practical one, be- 
cause neither Christ nor his Apostles have commanded 
it. Do you ask for further proof on this question? if 
so we will quote Colossians ii, 16, it reads as follows: 
*'Let no man therefore judge you in meat or in drink, 
or in respect of an holyday, or of the new moon, or of 
the sabbath days:" The word sabbath means rest. We 
can with propriety quote the language as follows: ^'Let 
no man judge you as to what day you shall rest, for you 
have the privilege of regarding everyday alike." Xow 
we will quote from Romans 14th, from verse 10th to the 
13th inclusive. ''■But why dost thoa judge thy brother? 
or why dost thou set at nought thy brother? for we 
shall all stand before the judgment seat of Christ. For 
it is written. As I live, saith the Lord, every knee shall 
bow to me, and every tongue shall confess to God. So 
then every one of us shall give account of himself to 
God. Let us not therefore judge one another any 
more, but judge this rather: that no man put a stumb- 
ling block or an occasion to fall in his brother's way." 
jSTow when the Apostle tells us not to judge one another 
he surely has reference to questions that are not gov- 
erned by law, because no one has a right to be gov- 
erned by his own judgment concerning the keeping of 
God's law. Now in our judgment this is what Paul has 
reference to in his letter to the Galations v, 1, we will 
quote it. '-Stand fast therefore in the liberty where- 



45 
with Christ hath made us free, and be not entangled 
again with the yoke of bondage." Now he surely does 
not mean to tell us that because we are in Christ that 
we have the liberty to do as we please, and violate God's 
law if we like. An interpretation of this kind would 
be absurd, hence he did not mean it a general sense 
but specifically. Therefore he could have meant noth- 
ing more nor less than this, viz: That we all have a 
right to use our own judgment on questions that are 
not governed by law, and are not under obiigations to 
be governed by the judgment of another. 

Thanks be to God for such liberties. How could 
we grow in knowlege any other way than to use our 
own judgment in such cases? Or how could we grow 
in knowledge if we were bound in all cases by the 
judgment of another? Romans 14th, 19, reads as follows: 
''Let us therefore follow after the things which make 
for peace, and things wherewith one may edify 
another." Now we are not to understand from the 
above that we should sacrifice truth for the sake of 
having peace. But that we should be willing to sac- 
rifice our personal desires for the sake of peace, where 
there is no law binding either party. We think 
the foregoing when summed up in a nut shell plainly 
teaches that we should receive those w^ho are weak in 
faith, and that there may be different ways of being 
weak. A person may be weak in the faith by wanting 
to eat herbs, or not wanting to eat meats, or wanting 
to esteem one day above another, and we might add 
that he may be weak in the faith by believing in a 



46 
second probation, or in soul sleeping, or in total anni- 
hilation of the wicked, or in an intermediate state 
between death and the resurrection, or in everlasting 
torture of the wicked, or in foreordination and pre- 
destination. 

Now permit us to to ask how can you teach a pupil, 
should you expel him from your school? For the same 
reason how could it be possible to teach those weak 
brethren should we ex-communicate them or refuse to 
receive them? It must surely be plain to your mind 
that where such things as the foregoing are made tests 
of fellowship that parties on both sides of the question 
are culpable. 

We have now gone over the field as set forth in 
the beginning of our remarks. That is to say we have 
investigated, as to what the oneness of God's j^eople 
is and think we have proven satisfactory to your mind, 
that it is a figurative expression taken from the fact 
that the Father and Son are One, and that this unity 
consists in oneness of spirit, hearts, aims and walking 
by the same rule of action and we think we have 
proven to your mind that the walls that are causing 
divisions are made up largely of questions that are not 
governed by law, and are therefore not practical. And 
should you acknowledge that our analysis is correct, 
you will surely agree with us that all parties on both 
sides of the question who are making such things tests 
of fellowship are culpable. And it is quite plain to all 
of us that there is confusion in Christendom. Babylon 
means confusion, and as it is right and proper to use a 



47 

word and its definition interchangeably, that is we can 
substitute the definition for the word itself. We can 
then with propriety say that we have Babylon in Chris- 
tendom. We will quote Revelations xviii, 2, it reads as 
follows: "And he cried mightily with a strong voice, 
saying, Babylon the great is fallen, is fallen, and is 
become the habitation of devils, and the hold of every 
foul spirit, and a cage of every unclean and hateful 
bird." We will not say whether or not this prophecy 
has been fulfilled, because we do not know. But we 
will say that the book of Revelations is made up prin- 
cipally of prophecies. We will quote Revelations i, 3, 
"Blessed is he that readeth, and they that hear the 
words of this prophecy, and keep those things which 
are written therein: for the time is at hand." The 
above proves very plainly that it is a book of prophe- 
cies. We said we did not know whether or not this 
prophecy has been fulfilled, but we will say that there 
is a possibility that it has not. Should such be the case 
there is a possibility that it is on the eve of fulfillment. 
It might be well enough right here to enquire more 
particularly as to what is meant by Babylon or 
confusion. One thing we are sure of, that is, it is 
typical of a body of people of some kind. And we are 
sure that it is not the true church because we read that 
it has fallen, and Christ's church being built on a rock 
can not fall. We will quote Revelations xviii, 4: 
"And I heard another voice from heaven, saying. Come 
out of her, my people, that ye be not partakers of her 
sins, and that ye receive not of her plagues." From 



48 
the above we may readily conclude that the Babylon 
or confusion referred to is an organized body of people 
whose practices and manner of life are antagonistic to 
the character and teaching of Christ. Because he in- 
vites his people to come out of her. Reader would it not 
be well to stop and enquire whether or not we are in 
Babylon or confusion. The Apostle Paul tells us 
to prove all things and he further tells us to examine 
ourselves to see whether we are in the faith or not. 
Surely the scripture that we have been quoting should 
arrest the attention of every professed follower of the 
Lord Jesus Christ. 



CHAPTER III. 

FORMULA FOR ENTERING THE CHURCH. 



The next question that presents itself for our con- 
sideration is how shall these different organized bodies 
each calling itself a church be united into one religious 
•jody and be rooted and ground together in love, each 
member having the same care as the other, and in 
honor prefering one another and all walking by the 
same rule, having christian fellowship throughout. This 
should be the desire of every true disciple of the Lord 
Jesus Christ. We need not offer any proof to sustain 
our proposition, it is a self evident truth and needs no 
further proof. We believe there are many Christian 
people that would like to see and would be willing to 
assist in the consummation of Christian unity throughout) 
but are unable to devise a plan by which it can be ac" 
complished.. This question has agitated the minds of 
learned men of each and every denomination in Chris- 
tendom. Conventions have been called for the purpose 
of discussing the question. But the result has been in 
many instances that new sects have been generated. 
Consequently when the conventions were over they 
were farther from uniting than before. We believe 
the great difficulty that has been in the way of uniting 
when the conventions were called is that each denomi- 
nation wanted to interpret the Bible so as to make it 
conform to his peculiar creed. And in doing this they 
would make questions that are not practical tests of 
fellowship. It is quite plain that under such circum- 
stances there would be confusion or Babylon. 



50 

Now we suppose some one is ready to ask us what 
plan we propose for them in order to unite them? Well 
should such a question be asked our answer would he 
that we propose the Bible as a rule of faith and prac- 
tice for each and every member of the church. Well 
but says one we are no nearer uniting now than before, 
because the Bible is susceptible of so many different 
interpretations that we cannot all agree as to what it 
teaches. But hold my friend, let us see if we cannot 
all agree as to what the Bible teaches. The first thing 
then that we propose is that each and every organized 
body, calling itself a church, lay aside its formulated 
creed let it be either written or implied. This is un- 
doubtedly a fair proposition. If any one refuses to do 
this we would be forced to the conclusion that he is 
not in favor of unity. When a person claims he is 
following after the things that make for peace and is 
not willing to lay down his weapons that are causing 
discord, we would surely have to doubt his veracity, or 
otherwise conclude he is using bad logic. But we 
hope there are none but what would be willing to lay 
aside his creed, from the fact that the proposition is a 
fair one because it puts all on an equality, just as Paul 
the Apostle says they should be. After the creeds are 
destroyed and buried in the grave of forgetfulness, the 
next thing in order would be to open the Bible and 
see if we can tell what it teaches. The first question 
that presents itself for our consideration in the examin- 
ation of the Bible is to inquire as to what the Bible is, 
or in what does it consist? This book that we hear so 



51 
much about, so much controversy about it, what is it? 
In answer to these questions we will say, that it is 
simply a book giving statements of facts, commands, 
and promises. We frequently hear people say they 
believe every thing in the Bible. We surely will have 
to disagree with people who claim this. We will surely 
have to claim they are mistaken, from the fact they can- 
not believe anything except the facts. We cannot be- 
lieve the commands, we can only obey them. We can- 
not believe the promises, but we can enjoy them. 
Reader, suppose you were being tried on a charge of 
some crime, and your lawyer presented your case in 
such a way as to show that the facts proved that you 
were innocent, would you expect the jury to believe 
any thing except the facts? Should we be honest, we 
cannot believe any thing except facts. If we try to 
make anything to appear as such, that in reality is not, 
we are not honest in the full sense of the word. 

Now, there is another thought we wish to place 
before you. That is this. The commands of the Bible 
are all that can be understood at present. We mean 
by this that they are all that can be thoroughly under- 
stood. We cannot thoroughly understand the promises, 
because Peter says we rejoice with joy unspeakable. If 
we understood all about the joy surely we could express 
ourselves. We will quote I Corinthians ii,9: ''But as it 
is written. Eye has not seen, nor ear heard, neither have 
entered into the heart of man, the things which God 
has prepared for them that love him." The foregoing 
is sufficient to prove th at all the promises cannot be 
understood, while we live in the flesh. 



52 

Now, if we produce scripture to prove that, the 
prophecies cannot be thoroughly understood for the 
present, then we will have proven our entire proposi- 
tion. Read the 12 th chapter of Daniel, and you will 
see that he was commanded to seal up the book until 
the time of the end, saying that many would run to 
and fro, and knowledge would be increased. Of course 
we all know what it means to seal a book, it means 
it cannot be read nor understood during the time it is 
sealed. Therefore we think we have proven to your 
satisfaction that the prophesies of the Bible cannot be 
thoroughly understood at the present time. There is one 
thing we wish to speak of here, that is this; 
We do not mean to say that the historical facts of the 
Bible cannot be understood. The first historical 
fact recorded, is recorded in the 1st chapter of Genesis; 
*'In the beginning God created the Heavens and the 
earth." Nor we do not wish to be understood as 
claiming that none of the prophecies can be understood. 
Such prophecies as the following are easily understood. 
'•Except you repent you shall all likewise perish." Now 
as we are investigating as to what the Bible consists 
we beg leave to make the following statements, viz: 
God's commands or laws are separable. That is to say 
into Positive and Moral precepts and also the 
ceremonial law which is sometimes called the law of 
Moses, which law Christ abrogated, having nailed it to 
his cross. Both the Positive and Moral laws are always 
given in real primary or literal language. The positive 
law is always given in specific language and never in 



53 
generic, the moral law is given in both specific and 
generic and we will further state that no one has a 
right to add or take from God's law. Should we at- 
tempt it we need not expect to stand approved of him. 
The prophecies are written largely in fi.gurative lan- 
guage, and in studying them we have to ascertain what 
reality they represent before we have acquired any 
knowledge. Now reader think of this glorious liberty 
we would have after all the formulated creeds were 
destroyed. Each could read and study the prophecies 
without being bound by the judgment of another. 
Each could study the nature of the resurrection and as 
to what the future will be and would at the same time 
have the privilege of expressing his opinion to others 
without any fears of fellowship being withdrawn. Now 
this kind of procedure would harmonize with the fol- 
lowing: ''Stand fast therefore in the liberty wherewith 
Christ hath made us free and be not entangled again 
with the yoke of bondage." Galations v, 11, Jesus 
told his disciples that the truth should make them 
free indeed and furthermore we are told that where 
the spirit of Christ is there is liberty. We will quote 
Romans vi, 16; ''Know ye not, that to whom ye yield 
yourselves servants to obey, his servants ye are to whom 
ye obey; whether of sin unto death, or obedience unto 
righteousness?" Now the obedience unto righteous- 
ness referred to surely means obedience to God's law, 
and the obedience unto sin surely refers to something 
that is antagonistic to the law of the Lord, and will 
eventually result in death. And this text plainly teaches 



54 
that unless we have the spirit of Christ that we are in 
bondage — being servants of sin. Now let us examine 
and see how a man may be bound. The word Judg- 
ments means the recognition of the congruance or 
confliction of two objects of thought. Thus when we 
say chalk is white there are two objects of thought 
chalk and white. The copula is shows that there is a 
congruance between the two. Now let us suppose a 
number of persons are going to look at a lump of chalk, 
and one of them looks through green glasses. He will 
say that it is green. Another looks through blue 
glasses, and say that it is blue; and another through 
no glasses, but has a dark veil over his face. He will say 
that it is dark. Now suppose that another looks at it 
without glasses or veil. He will decide according to 
truth, and say it is white. 

We will now endeavor to make the application: 
Suppose a number of persons are going to investigate 
as to the truth of a scriptural question. One of them 
is blinded by envy, another by prejudice, another by 
jealousy, another by some selfish motive, another by 
the love and respect he has for his -friends and ac- 
quaintances. It is quite evident that they will all 
err in their judgment, and will not fill the measure 
of the true disciple of Christ. But suppose one of 
them has forsaken all in order that he may be Christ's 
disciple. He will see the truth as it is in Christ Jesus. 
Christ has plainly told us that unless we forsake all and 
follow him we cannot be his disciple. 

Now we imagine we hear some one say the form- 



55 
ulated creeds are all laid aside. What plan do you 
propose to offer as a formula for entering the church, 
seeing there are so many different ideas concerning 
convertion and sanctification? Well, we are ready to 
admit that there are many different ideas on this sub- 
ject, but trust we shall succeed in proving to your 
satisfaction that the plan is made quite plain by Christ 
and his Apostles. We are aware of the fact that this 
question has been the subject of much controversy, 
and when it has been discussed for quite a while the 
minds of the people become more or less prejudiced to 
one side or the other. We will therefore treat the 
subject as tenderly as the circumstances of the case will 
permit, and before giving our formula for becoming a 
member of the one church there are a few facts that 
we wish to place before you, viz: The question of 
conversion is a practical one, and is therefore governed 
by the law of the Lord. David says the law of the 
• Lord is perfect— converting the soul. If a person fills 
the measure that the law of the Lord lays down, he will 
undoubtedly stand approved before God, because there 
is no other law to condemn him, and we wish to say, 
right here, that there are certain adjectives that do not 
admit of comparison, such as round, square, perfect. 
If any thing is perfect it cannot be more so. There- 
fore when David says the law of the Lord is perfect 
it cannot be any more perfect. And furthermore we 
wish to say that all of God's children are commanded 
to be teachers, and also pupils, or in other words they 
are commanded to teach one another. 



56 

Now, it is understood that a person who proposes 
to teach is in possession of knowledge of some kind that 
the pupil does not possess, because should the pupil 
possess the same knowledge as the teacher it would be 
an impossibility for him to teach him. Consequently, 
all of God's children who propose to teach must neces- 
sarily make themselves acquainted with God's word, 
and they are in possession of knowledge that the pupil 
is not; because, should he attempt to teach, where the 
pupil had already as much knowledge on the subject 
under discussion as he had, he would simply make a 
disturbance instead of teaching, and when we propose 
to teach an organized body of people we should be 
able to point out some defects that they have, because, 
should they have none, there would be no need of teach- 
ing them. In fact, it would be impossible in such 
cases to instruct them, but would simply be creating a 
disturbance and might cause divisions. A Constable is 
a conservative of the peace, and his duty is to arrest 
any person whom he sees violating the law by disturb- 
ing the peace. Now, suppose a constable was in the 
habit of arresting people who were not disturbing the 
j)eace. The result would be that he had become a dis- 
turber of the peace, himself, and would necessarily 
have to be impeached. Now, every true disciple of the 
Lord is a conservative of the peace. We will quote 
Mathews v, 9: ''Blessed are the peacemakers: for 
they shall be called the children of God." And they 
should never attempt to teach by first trying to point 
out faults where there are none. Now let us bear in 



57 
luind that like causes produce like effects. That is, if 
it rained yesterday, the same cause that produced it 
will cause it to rain again to-day, provided that cause 
be put in motion. God is said to be the author of 
peace, not of confusion. 1st Corinthians, 14th and 
33th verse. He is also said to be a God of order. 
We will quote 1st Corinthians, 15th and 23rd verse. 
*-'But every man in his own order: Christ the first- 
fruits; afterwards they that are Christ's at his 
coming." The foregoing shows that God has order 
and system in order to accomplish his purposes. 

And now, reader, we are about to give you the 
formula as we understand it for entering the Church of 
God or the one body, and please bear in mind that in 
order to take any exceptions to the formula we present 
that you must first point out to us wherein it is defec- 
tive, otherwise your objections will be invalid, and 
instead of being a proper teacher you will be a 
disturber of the peace. 

The first item that goes to make up the formula is 
faith, that is, we believe that without faith it is im- 
possible to please God. We will quote Hebrews, 11th 
chapter, 6th verse: ''But without faith it is impossi- 
ble to please him: for he that cometh to God must 
believe that he is, and that he is a rewarder of them 
that diligently seek him." We believe that in 
order to have faith that we must first hear of the Gos- 
pel. We will quote Romans, x, 17: *'So then faith 
cometh by hearing, and hearing by the word of God." 

We believe that the next thing in order after 



58 
hearing and believing the Gospel, is to confess Christ. 
We will quote Romans, x, 10: ''For with the heart 
man believeth unto righteousness; and with the mouth 
confession is made unto salvation." 

We believe the next thing in order is repentance. 
We will quote from Acts, xvii, 30: ''And the times of 
this ignorance God winked at; but now commandeth 
men everywhere to repent." 

We believe the next thing in order is to be baptized. 
We quote from Galations, iii, 27: "For as many of you 
as have been baptized into Christ have put on Christ." 
Mark, xvi, 16, reads as follows: "He that believeth 
and is baptized shall be saved, but he that believeth 
not shall be damned." John, iii, 5, reads as follows: 
"Jesus answered. Verily, verily, 1 say unto thee, Except 
a man be born of water and of the Spirit, he cannot 
enter into the kingdom of God." 

Now we claim that the person that has complied 
with this formula, is justified and is in Christ — there- 
fore is free from condemnation. We will quote Ro- 
mans, viii, 1: "There is therefore now no condemna- 
nation to them which are in Christ Jesus, who walk not 
after the flesh, but after the spirit." We might stop 
here and comment at some length on the expression, 
"walking after the spirit." But to make a long story 
short we will say that it means for you to do what the 
spirit commands you. We will name a few things 
that the spirit commands those who are in Christ Jesus 
to do. The spirit speaks as follows: "Grow in grace 
and knowledge; Be not conformed to this world but be 



59 

ye transformed; Cleanse yourselves from all filthiness 
of the flesh and spirit; Endeavor to keep the unity of 
the spirit within the bonds of peace." 

We refer the reader to the epistolary writings, 
written to the church, for any further information he 
may want on the question of walking after the spirit. 
Reader is the formula that we have given correct? 
Should you say it is not, then you become our teacher, 
and the first thing you will have to do will be to show 
to us wherein it is wrong, by pointing out its 
defects. Should you not be able to do this, you 
will be forced to admit that we do not need you as a 
teacher, and you will have to admit that our formula 
is right. And if it is right it is scriptural. And 
should it be scriptural it is perfect. And if perfect it 
will be impossible to oif er any improvement. 

Now we will add, that should any one see any de- 
fects in the formula we have given, it is his duty to 
bring his Bible along with him, and measure it 
by the word of God. Should he fail to discover 
any imperfection, then it will be his duty to admit 
that it is perfect, because if he should persist in con- 
demning it he would disturb us instead of teaching 
us, and we would be forced to conclude in that case that 
he was surely not, a peace maker but a disturber of 
the peace. We will quote Romans, xvi, IV, 18: ''Now 
I beseech you, brethren, mark them which cause divi- 
sions and offences contrary to the doctrine which ye 
have learned; and avoid them. For they that are such 
serve not our Lord Jesus Christ, but their own belly; 



60 
and by good words and fair speeches deceive the hearts 
of the simple." 

Now we understand the Apostle here to have ref- 
erence to people who are not willing to submit to the 
positive commands of God, and who are making diver- 
sions by trying to make tests of fellowship over 
questions that do not come under the jurisdiction of 
law. 

But we imagine we hear some one say, ''you have 
not told us what you mean by baptism. The word 
has so many definitions that the protestant world is 
very much divided as to its true meaning, some be- 
lieving in immersion, some in pouring and some in 
sprinkling. " 

Well, we are ready to admit that we have now 
come to a question over which there has been 
much controversy. The subject of the mode of bap- 
tism has caused neighborship to dissolve; has caused 
roots of bitterness to spring up in the family circles, 
making homes unpleasant, to some extent, to both man, 
wife and children. And the question has been debated 
by the ablest divines of each and every denomination 
in Christendom. With these facts staring us in the face 
it looks a little like we have a big undertaking before us if 
we undertake to try to reconcile all parties, to our notion. 
But we will say this to our reader; should your ideas of 
baptism be that of pouring or sprinkling, do not be- 
come offended when we tell you that we believe immer- 
sion to be the only baptism. We are aware that many 
differ with us and we do not wish to force our views on 



61 
any one but will kindly ask you to read the arguments 
that we shall present in favor of our side of the question. 

We will lead off by saying that the commands con- 
tained in the formula we gave are positive, not 
moral precepts. And you will please bear in mind that 
the commands included in the formula for entering the 
church are faith, confession, repentance and baptism, 
all of which are positive because they relate to 
our duty to God alone, and not to one another. Now 
we have repeatedly remarked that positive commands 
were always given in primary, real or literal language; 
never in figurative nor generic, always specific. We 
will mention a few commands that are positive. We 
\vill quote from G-enesis, ii, 16, 17: ''And the Lord 
God commanded the man, saying. Of every tree of the 
garden thou mayest freely eat: But of the tree of the 
knowledge of good and evil, thou shalt not eat of it; for 
in the day that thou eatest thereof thou shalt surely 
die." Now it is quite evident that the foregoing was a 
positive command, not moral. - It related to Adam's 
duty to God alone, and not to his fellow men, because 
he and his wife were the only humans living, and it is 
quite plain that the command was specific from the 
fact that there was but one way to obey it. 

We will refer to one more positive and specific 
command. We will quote Genesis, xii, 1: ''Now the 
Lord said unto Abram, Get thee out of thy country, and 
from thy kindred, and from thy father's house unto a 
land that I will shew thee." The reason why this com- 
mand was positive was, that it related to Abram's duty 



62 

to God. The reason why it was specific was, that it 
had reference to a special land. A land that the Lord 
intended to show him. Any other land except that 
would not have filled the specification. 

For like reasons we say, that faith, confession re- 
pentance and baptism are positive and specific com- 
mands. Consequently there is but one way to obey 
either of them. And we will take each up in its order 
beginning with faith and will say that it is both a pos- 
itive and specific command. Positive, because it relates 
to our duty to God alone. Do you ask for proof? If 
so will quote from Hebrews, xi, 6: ''But without faith 
it is impossible to please him." We see from the 
above that God is the only one that we are required to 
please in the exercising of faith, hence the command is 
positive not moral. It is specific because there is but 
one way to believe. Do yon ask for proof? If so we 
will quote Romans, xii, part of the 10th verse: ''For 
with the heart man believeth unto righteousness." 
The foregoing plainly teaches that there is but one way 
of believing, that is, with the heart. If a person 
should undertake to believe any other way it would not 
be accepted, or in other words it would not be faith at 
all because Paul says there is only one faith. Ephe- 
sians, iv, 5. Therefore faith is a positive and spe- 
cific command. 

The next in order is confession, which is a positive and 
specific command. That is to say there is but one way 
to confess. Do you ask for proof? If so we will quote 
Romans, X, and part of the 10th verse: "And with 



63 
the mouth confession is made unto Salvation." This 
shows that the only way we can confess is with the 
mouth. 

The next in order is repentance, which is both a 
positive and specific command. Positive because it 
relates to our duty to God. Specific because there is 
but one way of repenting. Let us first give its defini- 
nition. Repentance means a turning with sorrow from 
a past course. But when God commands us to repent 
to whom does he tell us to turn? We will 
quote Matthew^ xi, 28; ''Come unto me all 
ye that labor and are heavy laden, and I 
will give you rest." This plainly teaches us that 
we are to turn unto Christ. Hence the command is 
specific, because if we should turn unto any other per- 
son our repentance would not be accepted. Because 
Christ tells us that none can approach the Father 
except through him. 

The next in order is baptism, which is both a 
positive and specific command. Positive, because it 
relates to our duty to God and not to one another, spe- 
cific because there is but one way to obey it. The 
candid reader will surely agree with us on the first 
three propositions that we have mentioned, viz; That 
they are positive and specific commands. The three 
to which we refer are faith, confession and repentance. 
And we think you will admit that positive commands 
are always given in primary or literal languge, never 
in figurative. And we think you will admit that spe- 
cific words have but one primary or real literal meaning. 



64 
Therefore when our Lord told his disciples to go into 
all the world and preach his Gospel to every creature, 
baptizing them in the name of the Father, Son and 
Holy Spirit, the command was positive, because it 
relates our duty to God alone, and he would necessarily 
have to choose a word denoting specific action in order 
for its consummation. 

For the benefit of the young reader we will elab- 
orate on the primary and secondary or figurative defini- 
tion of words. For example we will give the defini- 
nition of dead. The real, or primary definition, is to 
be deprived of life; to become extinct; to cease to be. 
Some of the secondary or figurative uses of the word are 
as follows: Dead in trespasses and sin. The politician 
is dead politically. Business is dead. He took a dead 
look at me. You will please take notice that of all 
the secondary uses, that none of them are actual 
or real. 

We will now make another illustration. Let us 
define the word God — that is give its primary or literal 
meaniog. The deffinition is as follows: The one 
Supreme being self existing and eternal; the infinite 
maker sustainer and ruler of the universe. 

We will now give some of its secondary or figura- 
tive meanings: Anything that absorbs one's attention, 
or aspiration; as, money is his God. An image or 
symbol of a Deity. 

We will now give the primary or literal meaning 
of baptize. Its meaning is, immerse, dip, or plunge. 
Some of its secondary or figurative meanings are, to 



wash, to cleanse, to wet. Now it is quite plain why 
these should be secondary or figurative meanings, be- 
cause we could wash, cleans or wet a person by im- 
mersing or dipping them in water. In that case the 
washing or cleansing w^ould be a result of the immers- 
ing. We could, with the same propriety, say that it 
means to scald^ because we could scald a person as a 
result of immersing them in hot water. We could for 
the same reason say it means to pollute or besmear, be- 
cause that would be the result should we immerse a 
person in muddy water. Sprinkling is neither a 
primary nor a secondary meaning of the word. The 
reader will readily see that the word baptize is a word 
that denotes specific action, consequently has but one 
real or primary meaning. That meaning is to im- 
merse, dip or plunge. All other meanings that we may 
attach to it, are secondary or figurative and not real. 
The reader will please read Romans 6th chapter and 
4th verse, where we read that baptism is spoken of by 
the Apostle as a burial. Some who oppose the idea of 
immersion claim this burial spoken of is a figurative 
expression. AYe will be pleased to have all such persons 
tell us what fact the figure is taken from, or what fact 
it represents. The fact in the case must be the ac- 
tual burial of our Lord. This we do not think any 
will attempt to gainsay. 

Well, admitting that the fact from which the 
figure is taken, to be the actual burial and resurrection 
of our Lord, in order to have a figure of that we 
would have to have something that resembled it, that 



66 

is, we must have a burial of some kind or we cannot 
even say that we have a type of a burial. If a person 
was immersed in water it would be a very correct figure 
of a burial in the earth. Now if the Apostle did not 
mean a burial in water, what kind of a burial did he 
mean? You will please bear in mind tlxat there must 
be a covering of some kind, even to have a figurative 
burial. We will quote Colossians, 2nd chapter and 
12th verse: ^'Buried with him in baptism, wherein 
also ye are risen with him through the faith of the ope- 
ration of God, who hath raised him from the dead." 
You will readily see that the person that is immersed 
is represented as rising again with Christ. This rising 
undoubtedly is a type of his resurrection. 

Therefore the burial by baptism and the rising to 
walk in newness of life is a correct figure of the burial and 
resurrection of our Lord. We might go on and give 
the etymology of the word but we will leave the sub- 
ject with the reader for the present, hoping you will 
give our arguments a thorough investigation. And 
should you come to us for advice, it would be, that 
should you be a believer and willing to confess Christ, 
and willing to repent by turning to him, that you be 
buried with Christ in baptism and rise to walk in new- 
ness of life, thereby symbolizing the burial and resur- 
rection of our Lord. 

Now we said we did not want to force our views 
on any one, and there may be some who take issue with 
us on the subject of the mode of baptism. To all such 
we will say, come let us reason together. When Paul 



\ 



67 
wrote to Timothy he advised him to speak the things that 
become sound doctrine. And all those who favor sprink- 
ling or pouring for baptism, will surely be willing to rea- 
son with us inasmuch as we do not wish to force our views 
on any one. The question we wish to place before you 
now is the following: It is universally admitted by all 
that immersion is valid baptism. Persons who favor 
sprinkling or pouring will not say that people who have 
been immersed have not been baptized; and they will 
not say that immersion is wrong. Well when you ad- 
mit that immersion is not wrong, you have admitted 
that it is right. If it is right, it is scriptural. If 
spriptural it is perfect, and you cannot offer any im- 
provement. On the other hand, those who favor im- 
mersion claim that sprinkling or pouring is not valid 
baptism. Now Peter says baptism is the answering of 
a good conscience towards God, First Peter, iii, 21. 
Now there could not be an answering of a good con- 
science unless we first have a good conscience. And as 
those who favor immersion cannot believe that sprink- 
ling or pouring is valid baptism, they could not con- 
scientiously be baptized in that way, because it would 
not be the answering of a good conscience. We will 
quote from 1 Corinthians, viii, 12: '*But when ye sin 
so against the brethren, and wound their weak con- 
science, ye sin against Christ." The above plainly 
teaches that we should not do anything to that will 
wound a weak brother's conscience. On the other 
hand those who favor sprinkling or pouring, and admit 
that immersion is not wrong, can be immersed con- 



68 
scientiously, and it y/ould be an answering of a good 
conscience. 

But says one, we do not wish to force people to be 
sprinkled or poured; we are willing for every one to 
have his choice. But hold my friend. If that is your 
feelings you are not in favor of unity, but are encour- 
aging division, and you are not following after the 
things that make for peace. We will quote 1 Cor- 
inthians, ix, 20, 21, 22: ''And unto the Jews I became 
as a Jew, that I might gain the Jews; to them that are 
under the law, as under the law, that I might gain 
them that are under the law; To them that are without 
law, being not without law to God, but under the law 
to Christ, that I might gain them that are without law, 
To the weak become I as weak, that I might gain the 
weak: I am made all things to all men, that I might 
by all means save some." 

As a further proof that Paul was to them that were 
under the law, as under the law we refer you to Acts, 
xvi, 3, showing that he circumcised Timothy because 
of the Jews, not because there was any virtue in it, but 
because he was following after the things that make 
peace. Now, if those who favor immersion, as the 
only Christian baptism, cannot conscientiously consent 
to be sprinkled or poured, can you not do as Paul did: 
That is in order to save the weak, become as the weak, 
and be immersed yourself, thereby becoming the chil- 
dren of peace? Well, says one, we are all willing to 
submit to immersion for the sake of having unity and 
peace, but there is another difficulty that arises. 



We who favor sprinkling and pouring believe in 
infant baptism, while all who favor immersion are op- 
posed to it. We would be pleased to hear how you 
propose to remove this difficulty. We are ready to 
admit that the subject of infant baptism is one over 
which there has been much controversy. And as 
previously remarked when questions have been discussed 
by able men on both sides of the question for some 
length of time people become more or less prejudiced 
to one side or the other. With these facts before us 
we are aware that we must treat the subject as mildly 
as the circumstance of the case will permit, and we are 
further aware that we must have due respect for the 
opinions of others. But we will extend the following 
invitation to you, viz: Come let us reason together. 
We think the candid reader is ready to admit that there 
are what is known as positive laws, and those that are 
moral precepts and that the positive laws are always 
given in primary and specific language, and we think 
you will admit that all questions that are governed by 
law are practical, and that the law is never given in 
such a way that the fact would rest on an inference. 

Admitting all of this, we will lead off by saying 
that baptism is a practical question and is, therefore, 
governed by law. And the law by which it is gov- 
erned is the positive law of God, which relates to our 
duty to God alone. We will ask right here of those 
who favor infant baptism to tell us what duty is made 
obligatory on the infant before it knows good from 
evil. ''Well," but says one, ''we believe that infant 



70 

baptism comes in the place of circumcision." Very 
well, then if that be true there must be a law some- 
where by which it is governed. We will kindly ask all 
those who claim that, to point out that law to us or in 
other words, tell us what law we violate should we neg- 
lect to have our children baptized. «^Well," but says 
one, '^Christ was known to say on one occasion. Suffer 
little children to come unto me and forbid them not." 
Very well, we will admit that this is true, but he did 
not baptize them, neither did he command any one 
else to do so, *'But," says one, "The inference is that 
he meant that we should." 

We think that in all cases v/here we have called 
your attention to the positive commands of God that 
they were always given in such a way that the matter 
does not rest on an inference, but has always been 
given in such a manner that there could be no mistake 
as to what was required to be done. Now is it not a 
little remarkable that it is universally admitted that 
his positive commands are given in literal, specific and 
well defined language in every instance except the 
commandment of baptism? All will have to admit that 
it is a positive command. Then why will you make an 
exception in the case of baptism, and say it may rest 
on an inference, and at the same time admit that 
none of the balance do? This seems to us a little in- 
consistant. We may as w^ell say, ''And Balaam rose 
up in the morning and saddled his ass." The inference 
is that he intended to take the children to church to 
have them sprinkled. 



71 

We have one more argument to offer in opposition 
to infant baptism. We have already referred to the 
fact that baptism is the answering of a good conscience 
toward God, Now, we would be pleased to have some 
one tell us whether or not the child, never having 
passed the line of accountability, has any con- 
science. If so, is it good or evil? In order to be a 
proper subject for baptism, according to the Apostle 
Peter's statement, it would have to have a good con- 
science. 

This brings us to the question as to what consti- 
tutes conscience. Let us first define consciousness. 
It means the immediate knowledge the mind has 
of its own operations. We here see that con- 
sciosness means a certain kind of knowledge and 
conscience must necessarily have the same import. 
That is to say, it means knowledge of some kind, and 
that must be a knowledge of right and wrong. The 
next thought that presents itself is, what is the source 
of our knowledge of right and wrong? Some have 
been known to say that our feelings are a safe guide 
for us. But surely this cannot be correct, for, should 
that be true, feelings would be a source of knowledge, 
and we would not need anyone to teach us. Hence the 
preaching of Christ and the Apostle, would have been 
unnecessary. But Paul contradicts this theory when 
he says that it j^leased God by the foolishness of preach- 
ing to save them that believe. Now let us come down 
to plain facts concerning the source of right and wrong, 
and in doing this we will appeal to the highest authority. 



72 
We will quote from Romans 7th, and part of the 7th 
verse: ''Nay, I had not known sin, but by the law, 
for I had not known lust, except the law had said, 
Thou shalt not covet." Therefore, we conclude that 
the child must first come to a knowledge of the law 
before sin is imputed to it, and before it can be con- 
scious of right and wrong. Consequently it would be 
impossible for it to have the answering of a good con- 
science without the knowledge of law. Therefore it is 
not a fit subject for baptism. 

But inasmuch as the Apostle Paul said he was all 
things to all men, and that neither circumcision nor 
uncircumcision availeth anything in Christ Jesus, we 
are willing that you practice infant baptism, seeing 
it availeth nothing in Christ. But we yield this in 
order to please the weak, with the understanding that 
you agree that they should all be immersed when they 
are capable of believing. This we think would be a 
fair compromise, and inasmuch as we are writing a 
work on Christian Unity, it is the duty of all Christians 
to lend us a helping hand, when they can do it without 
violating the law of conscience. 

The question may be asked as to the nature of the 
discipline we would propose by M^hich the church should 
be governed. Replying to such a question, we would 
say, before our fore-parents fell in the Garden of 
Eden, that the only law they had was, the law of love. 
Since then, the world has been governed by the law of 
selfishness. And our ideas of church government is 
this, viz: Should all the members of one body be in 



73 
possession of the one spirit, each member having the 
same care as the other, each in honor prefering one- 
another, there would be no need of laying down any rule 
by which they must be governed. Do you ask for 
proof? If so we will quote Galatians, v, 22, 23: "But 
the fruit of the spirit is love, joy, peace, long suffering, 
gentleness, goodness, faith, meekness, temperance; 
against such there is no law." It is quite evident, that 
should there be no law against them they would need 
no law by which to be governed, except the one they 
are already in possession of, which is the law of love. 
As further proof that this idea is correct, we will quote 
one of our Savior's sayings. He was known to say on 
one occasion that the greatest commandment was, to 
''Love the Lord thy God with all thy heart, and thy 
neighbor as thy self. On these two hangs all the law 
and the prophets.'^ We see from this that should each 
member of the church be permeated with the proper 
spirit of love each would be a sovereign himself. It is 
true the Apostles tell us that there should be elders and 
deacons. But it was not the intention that they should 
be Lord's over God's heritage, but should feed the 
flocks, taking the oversight of them and being examples 
for them. We would favor the Apostles instructions, 
that is, we would have elders and deacons appointed, 
and would have no other oflicers, because there are no 
others authorized. 

Now we imagine we hear some one say, "now you 
have got them all united, what church do you claim 
they are members of?" Replying to that, we would 



74 
say the church should be called by some scriptural 
name. The church is known in the scriptures under 
several names; such as. Church of God; Church of 
Christ; Church of the First Born; Body of Christ; God's 
House; God's Building; Temple of God. Any one of 
these names would be appropriate. Or each mem- 
ber might choose from this list any one name he 
pleased. They are all scriptural. Well, but says 
one, ''the members of the different churches have 
been known under different names, each wearing the 
name peculiar to the church to which he belonged, and 
should all these names be dropped what one name in 
common would you give us all?" Replying to that, 
we will say that the disciples are known under different 
names; such as Holy Brethren; Partakers of the Heav- 
enly Calling; Saints; Beloved of God. Any member 
could select from the above list any name he pleased 
and wear it. Any one of them would be appropriate. 
We imagine we hear some one say there are so many 
different modes of worship adopted by the different 
churches, we are anxious to have you give us your idea 
as to what constitutes worship. Replying to that, we 
beg leave to say that we would suggest that we follow 
the commands of the Apostles. In Paul's letter to 
Timothy he say»: "I exhort therefore, that, first of 
all, supplications, prayers, intercessions and giving of 
thanks, be made for all men." 1 Timothy, ii, 1. We 
will quote from Hebrews, x, 29: "Not forsaking the 
assembling of ourselves together, as the manner of 
some is, but exhorting one another: and so much the 



75 
more, as ye see the day approaching." We will quote 
from 1 Corinthians, v, 4, 5: ''In the name of our Lord 
Jesus Christ, when ye are gathered together, and my 
Spirit, with the power of our Lord Jesus Christ, To 
deliver such a one unto Satan for the destruction of the 
flesh, that the spirit may be saved in the day of the 
Lord Jesus." 1 Corinthians, xi, 33, reads as follows: 
"Wherefore, my brethren, when ye come together to 
eat, tarry one for another." (This surely has reference 
to the Lord's Supper. ) We are commanded to lay by 
in store for the first day of the week, as the Lord has 
prospered us that we may have to give to him that 
needeth. We will quote from Colossians, iii, 16: "Let 
the word of Christ dwell in you richly in all wisdom; 
teaching and admonishing one another in psalms and 
hymns and spiritual songs, singing with grace in your 
hearts to the Lord. 

We conclude from the scriptures we have quoted 
that the formula for worship should be, that we should 
pray for all men; that we exhort one another; that we 
cut off unworthy » members; that we partake of the 
Lord's supper; that we teach and admonish one another; 
that contributions be made; that we sing psalms, hymns 
and spiritual songs, singing with grace in our hearts to 
the Lord. Reader is the formula that w^e have given 
correct? You will have to answer in the affirmative, 
otherwise show us wherein it is defective. And in 
doing that you will have to show wherein it is not 
scriptural. Should you be unable to do this, you will 
be forced to admit that it is perfect, and you will not 
be able to offer any improvement. 



But, says one, "your formula is good as far as it 
goes, but we believe in having instrumental music in 
worship." This brings us to a question over which 
there is being much controversy. Congregations have 
been divided in quite a number of places over the organ 
question. And even when they are not divided, it is 
being discussed and agitated to such an extent that it 
makes it quite unpleasant for all parties concerned. In 
analyzing the question as to the propriety of instru- 
mental music in worship, w^e must bear in mind that 
there are many different kinds of music, each being a 
specie contained under the one genus; music being a 
generic word, and the different kinds of music being- 
specie. Now all will admit that God has commanded 
us to have music in worship; and as it is a command, it 
is a practical question governed by law, and is there- 
fore, a question of fact. The question of music 
bemg a practical one, the first thought that presents 
itself is to enquire as to what law governs it. That is 
to say which governs it, the positive or the moral law? 
Colossians iii, 16, reads as .follows: "Singing with 
grace in your hearts to the Lord." We see then that 
the music is for the Lord, and not for one another. It 
is governed then by the positive law or is a positive 
command, because it relates to our duty to God, and 
not to one another. We think we have proven satis- 
factorily to your mind that God's positive commands are 
always given in specific language, and never in generic. 
Had this command been given in generic language 
saying, ''make music to the Lord," we w^ould be 



11 

at liberty to make any kind of music we pleased. But 
he limits the music to a specific kind, saying we must 
sinir. Now those w^ho favor instrumental music in 
worship must tell us by what law^ they propose it shall 
be governed; or what law gives them the authority to 
introduce it. They must bear in mind that the ques- 
tion is practical, and is, therefore, not a question of 
opinion but of fact; and in all questions of fact, there 
must be a rule of action by w^hich they are governed. 
We have given our reasons as to why we are opposed 
to instrumental music in worship, and we think they 
are valid. We will, therefore, leave the matter with 
you, hoping you will read the arguments we have pro- 
duced favoring our side of the question. And we hope 
you will see that we have given you the law of the 
Lord, as a witness that we are right. Should His law 
sustain us in our position, you will be forced to admit 
that we are right. If it does not, you must show us 
wherein w^e are defective. 

There is another thought in this connection that 
we will place before you. That is this. When God 
makes a positive command everything is excluded that 
is not included. For example, when we are comman- 
ded to eat bread at the Lord's Supper it excludes all 
other articles of food. 

Now the command telling us to sing is just as 
positive and specific as the command to eat bread, and 
for the like reasons all kinds of music except singing 
should be excluded. 

We have now come to the point wherein we think 



78 
the summing up of the whole matter will be in order. 
We started out for the purpose of investigating and 
endeavoring to ascertain, First, what is meant by the 
oneness of God^s people. Secondly, as to what con- 
stitutes the wall of partition between thera. Thirdly, 
as to what formula we would offer as a prerequisite, to 
entering the church. Fourthly, as to the formula we 
would offer for worship. We thiak we have proven 
satisfactorily to your mind that the oneness of God's 
people is a figurative expression, symbolizing the fact 
that the Father and Son are one. And we think we 
have made it quite clear to your mind that the dividing 
lines are caused largely of questions that are not prac- 
tical and are, therefore, not valid. And we hope we 
have made it clear to your mind that all believers 
should be immersed, and no others. And furthermore 
we trust we have made it clear to your mind that all 
music except singing should be excluded from the 
worship. 

CHAPTER IV. 



WHAT IS THE OBJECT OF THE WHOLE MATTER? 

The class of people whom we have been trying 
to unite are known as a peculiar people. We will 
quote from 1 Peter, ii, 9, 10: But ye are a chosen 
generation, a royal priesthood, an holy nation, a pecul- 
iar people; that ye should shew forth the praises of him 
who hath called you out of darkness into his marvelous 
light: Which in times past were not a people, but are 



19 

now the people of God. We see from the above that 
God's people are a peculiar people. Now there must 
be. some reason why they are peculiar. Let us see if 
we can tell wherein that peculiarity exists. We can do 
this better by comparing them with people who are not 
God's, or in other words, with the people of the world. 
The worldly people are governed by the law of selfish- 
ness. God's people are governed by the law of the 
spirit of life in Christ Jesus. The worldly people say 
let us get all we can of this worlds goods. God's peo- 
ple say that the earth and the fullness thereof is the 
Lord's. Worldly people look at the things that are 
seen while God's people look at the things that are not 
seen. We will quote from Romans, viii, 28; ''And 
we know that all things work together for good to 
them that love God, to them who are the called according 
to his purpose." The first question that presents itself 
in the above text is, who are the called? Secondly, 
what is his purpose? We will necessarily have to con- 
clude that the called are those that love him. And those 
who love him are those that have been baptized into 
the one body, who are walking after the Spirit, and 
not after the flesh. And they are therefore peculiar 
because they are the people of God. In order to make 
it plain to the young reader, we will say, that Christ 
and the church are the called ones. 

The next question thao presents itself is, what is 
the meaning of the expression, ''According to his pur- 
pose." Or, in other words, what is his purpose? We 
are going to try to answer this question, and in making 



80 
the effort, we will quote from Genesis, xiii, 14, 15: 
''And the Lord said unto Abram, after that Lot was 
separated from him, Lift up now thine eyes, and look 
from the place where thou art northward, and south- 
ward, and eastward, and westward: For all the land 
which thou seest, to thee will I give it, and to thy seed 
forever." This we think has reference to the natural 
descendants of Abram, wdth reference to the Land of 
Canaan. The reader will please take notice that verse 
16 reads as follows: "And I will make thy seed as the 
dast of the earth: so that if a man can number the dust 
of the earth, then shall thy seed also be numbered.'' 
We will now quote from Genesis, xii, 3: "And in thee 
shall all families of the earth be blessed." 

The covenant that the Lord made with him which 
contained the promise that his seed should bless all 
families of the earth is referred to by Paul in his letter 
to the Galations, iii, 16. It reads as follows: ''Now 
to Abraham and his seed were the promises made. He 
saith not, and, to seeds, as of many: but as of one, And 
to thy seed, which is Christ." The reader will please 
take notice that the covenant that relates to the inher- 
itance of the land of Canaan, his seed is represented as 
the dust of the earth, as to multitude, while the one re- 
lating to the blessing of all the families of the earth is 
spoken of as a unit. We will now quote Galations, iii? 
27: "For as many of you as have been baptized into 
Christ have put on Christ." We will now quote verse 
29: "And if ye be Christ's then are ye Abraham's 
seed, and heirs according to the promise." It is quite 



81 
plain that Christ and the church is the seed that is to 
bless all kindred of the earth; or in order to raake it 
plain to the young reader, we will say, that Jesus the 
head and the church, the body, the two shall constitute 
Christ, or the sj^iritual seed of Abraham which shall 
judge the world. We will now quote from 1 Corin- 
thians 6th and a part of the 2nd and 3rd verses: "Do 
ye not know that the saints shall judge the world? 
Know ye not that we shall judge angels?" We will 
quote Acts IT, part of the 31st verse: ''Because he 
hath appointed a day, in the which he will judge the 
world in Righteousness by that man whom he has or- 
dained; whereof he has given assurance unto all men, 
in that he hath raised him from the dead." The Apos- 
tle here undoubtedly has reference to the resurrection 
of our Lord and Saviour, Jesus Christ. And we beg 
leave to say that the word Christ is a Greek word, never 
having been translated into English. The word means 
anointed. Had it therefore, been translated, it would 
have read Jesus the anointed instead of Jesus the 
Christ. 

We will quote from Acts, iv; 27: "For of a truth 
against thy holy child Jesus, whom thou hast anoin- 
ted." Also from 2 Corinthians, i, 21: Now he which 
stablisheth us with you in Christ, and hath anointed 
us, is God," The first of the above passages refers to 
the anointing of Jesus, the second has reference to the 
anointing of the church. Now let us give the difini- 
tion of anoint, then we will undertand for what pur- 
pose Jesus and the church have been anointed. The 



82 
meaning of anointed is set apart, consecrated. There- 
fore we conclude that Jesus and the church have been 
anointed or set apart for some particular use, and the 
scriptures plainly teach that the purpose that God has 
in anointing Jesus and the church is that they are to 
bless all kindred of the earth. In our opinion these are 
the ones who are the called according to his purpose. 
And his purpose is that they shall judge the w^orld. 
And the scriptures plainly teach that before we can 
reign with him we must first put on immortality and 
that this immortality will be given to the true church, 
at the resurrection or restitution of all things. And 
we are further told that this will be a thousand years 
reign for those who have part in the first resurrection; 
and on such the second death has no power but they 
shall be priests of God and of Christ, and shall reign 
with him a thousand years. 

Reader is it your desire to have part in the first 
resurrection and be priest of God and of Christs? If 
so, yon will have to become one of the Lord's true 
disciples, should you not already be one, and will 
necessarily have to overcome the world; and this can 
be done in only one way. That is to say, after we have 
done all we can we have the promise that the righteous- 
ness of Christ will be imputed to us, which will cover 
our unavoidable weakness. 

But his righteousness is promised only to those 
that are in him, and are not walking after the flesh but 
after the spirit, and those who are walking after the 
spirit are endeavoring to keep the unity of the spirit in 



83 
the bonds ot peace; and are following after the things 
that make for peace. Hence they have laid aside their 
carnal weapons, and are using the sword of the spirit, 
which is the word of God. To all such we extend 
Christian greetings, and before bringing our writing to 
a close, we wish to offer the following suggestions: 

That there be a convention called, at some central 
point in the United, States with the understanding that 
each and every Protestant denomination in the United 
States be represented by each sending an equal number 
of delegates, and that said delegates, take up the ar- 
guments and ideas as set forth in this publication, and 
give them a thorough investigation, comparing them 
with Bible truths. And should a majority of the dele- 
gates so decide, that they be adopted as a Basis for a 
union of all the members of the One Church. 



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